WHY LISTEN TO WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY
WHEN YOU CAN LISTEN TO OUR PREVIOUS CLIENTS?
At the end of the day, the best indicator of the quality of any business is the quality of the testimonials and reviews of their clients. What matters is the satisfaction of our clients and the happiness of our students. We’ll let them speak for us!
The main issues most owners face with their dogs fall into four broad categories: General Obedience, Aggression, Anxiety, and Hyper-Activity. Below you’ll find many testimonials, many of which are likely to sound very similar to your situation. Have a look!
I want to start off by saying great job. Our groomer recommended these guys to my family. We brought them an almost 2 yr old labradoodle male with hyperactive tendencies, obsessive behavior, loud barking, jumping, and restlessness. What we got back was a calm submissive and even happier dog when we picked him up. Our boy was a good dog before with some occasional problems, but afterwards he was great. Worth every penny spent. Pet owners are required to continue training process upon return. He now walks calmly by my side without any leash pulling and won’t steal food off of counters or jump up on beds or couches when we are gone. I will bring them every dog I ever have for training in the future as well. Thanks guys!
Miracle worker. Our dog was considered and clinically diagnosed as a “fear aggressive “dog. We spent thousands of dollars on clinical behavioral and other trainers to no avail. We were one step away from euthanizing our “aggressive” dog. A friend referred us to Mellow vibes. Boyse and his family took him in and immediately had a very different approach to the dog. They didn’t rely on labels and his history. They took a very holistic view of the dog and through their training my dog came back a VERY different pet. We were speechless looking at their video of our dog at their home. He was obedient, rule following , happy and calm.
Boyse’s family gave my kids very easy instructions on how to keep up the training to both understand and be proactive to our dogs behavior. To this day ( writing 6 months later) our dog is still calm, controlled and a real family pet. I’ve never seen his type of genuine care and natural intuitiveness to a dog from a family and they work with you at all times going forward. I can’t recommend Mellow Vibes enough. Words don’t describe how thankful we are they saved our dog’s life- literally.
After 18+months we took our golden doodle back to Boysie and Daniel for boarding and a refresher course. Our dog is a service animal for my wife. As she (my wife) has been housebound for a while we let some of Rosey’s behaviors slide. She came back as attentive and content as before we slacked off.
We love these guys and as people have had dogs for 40 years, we have never come across training that has been as successful and caring,
We would not consider getting another dog without sending her to MELLOW VIBES for training.
Let me start by saying, Daniel, you are amazing! My crazy, ridiculous, strong-willed dog is now a balanced, calm, amazing dog. I love that your training hasn’t made her lose her wonderful (very silly) personality – you have truly helped her to relax, and trust her environment, and helped teach me how to gain her confidence.
A bit of a background: My dog (Trixie) is a rescue, who has very serious trust issues. When I took her home, she was incredibly aggressive towards people and dogs, but you could tell she wasn’t malicious; it was a fear-based aggression. Slowly, she started learning to trust both people and dogs, but all that progress was lost when she was attacked by an English Bulldog about a year ago. After she was attacked, Trixie became instantly aggressive towards other dogs again. After trying several trainers with no luck (she was apparently too old, too strong, too stubborn, etc.), I was referred to Mellow Vibes by 2 friends – they also knew people who had “un-trainable” dogs.
Trixie spent about 3 weeks with Daniel, and she came back with a completely different attitude – she is more relaxed, listens more attentively, and, though she is still a little unsure about other dogs, she is learning to get along with them, and she doesn’t instantly resort to aggression anymore. I saw videos of Daniel working with Trixie where she is playing with a group of dogs, not wearing a muzzle, and is happy as can be – I feel confident that with time, I’ll have that same experience with her. I am also now able to cut Trixie’s nails, which she has never let me do before! I couldn’t be happier with everything Daniel did to help Trixie, and everything he taught me.
The follow up has also been great – Daniel has reached out, and is always available for a chat and trouble-shooting when I run into obstacles. Trixie’s training is ongoing and needs to be reinforced daily at home. I am so grateful for all the help and tips that Daniel has been able to give Trixie and I.
This is not only a Letter of Recommendation but a huge THANK YOU TO Daniel and his family team at Mellow Vibes Dog Training.
OUR STORY – My wife and I have a 4 ½ year old female mix of an Australian Sheppard X Cattle dog. When my wife bought her online for $85 4 ½ years ago from Asheville, North Carolina, we were told she was part Chow Chow. Having had a Chow, we figured our NEW dog would be mellow with perhaps a little more energy. WRONG. We had a lovable, yet aggressive dog.
For the first few years, we seemed to overlook the behavior citing “she’s just not good on leash with other dogs”. The behavior escalated to the point where our dog would lunge at every passerby, all dogs and our children’s friends could not come into the house without us caging the dog or keeping her in our room.
After 3 recommendations to Mellow Vibes – we made the call, booked an interview and left our dog with Daniel for over 4 weeks.
I can’t begin to explain the gratitude we have for Mellow Vibes and their training skills. We are now able to walk in the neighborhood without our dog lunging at children, bicycles and other dogs. It’s funny that we see OTHER dogs bark at her and she often doesn’t respond. It’s also amazing that using the techniques Daniel taught us (and which he used), we are able to have more control of our dog, are a lot happier and more relaxed.
What was more amazing was the 2 ½ hours we spent with Daniel when we came to pick up our dog after the 4 week stay. Daniel didn’t let us leave until each of our two sons; my wife and I were brought up to speed with the follow up changes that we were required to maintain to keep our dog in a non-aggressive and obedient manner. We also learned about dog psychology and that some of the responses we deemed as normal, like demanding attention, need to be corrected on OUR behalf as we were contributing dominating behavior that was making the situation worse!
We were at a crossroad. Either seek professional help or have to make a very hard decision on what to do with our dog. We made the right call. If you are unsure of hiring Mellow Vibes, think about how much you love your dog. Make the call. You will thank yourself first. My name is Jay Silver. I can be reached at 647 884 7625 by phone or text. If you are unsure or need this testimonial validated, just call me.
We adopted Oatie as a 3 year old rescue from West Virginia. We were immediately taken with Oatie: he was housebroken, smart and friendly. However, like most rescues he had a few bad habits that we were not comfortable with. He would run away given the slightest opportunity (and we live on a busy street), and would lunge and bark at dogs while on a leash, despite loving other dogs.
We booked a consultation with Mellow Vibes dog training, and immediately Daniel and Boyse identified Oatie’s dominance as the source of his misbehavior. Oatie wasn’t a “bad dog”, but he could not relax and just “be a dog” in our house as we didn’t know how to correct his dominance.
We have been truly amazed with Oatie after his stay with Mellow Vibes. When we went to pick him up, Boyse gave us extensive information on how we should properly continue training and interacting with him, which was the most important element for us. Both myself and my partner had been around dogs all our lives, but we both learned so much.
A couple days after Oatie came home, he was in a backyard with our parents’ dogs, who escaped through an open gate. After tracking down the dog and returning them, we realized Oatie had been relaxing in the backyard the whole time. Had this been before the training, we’re not sure if we ever would have seen him again.
We routinely hear from friends that he is a different dog. But – important to note, even though he is better behaved – he has not lost his personality and he is in fact, sweeter than ever! We noticed this immediately – he is more relaxed, and even more affectionate.
After witnessing Oatie’s new and improved behavior – my parent’s called to book a consultation for their Jack Russell Terrier – who is now in training!
We could not recommend Mellow Vibes more. It has made dog ownership (and Oatie) truly even more of a joy!
We brought our one and half year old French Bulldog Oliver to Daniel in May. Although Oliver was sweet as could be at home, he was a terror outside of the house. I was able to physically handle Oliver on my own but things changed after we had a baby and I tried to go for a walk with him and the stroller at the same time. Things had gotten so bad that I was reluctant to walk Oliver at all for fear that I would not be able to physically stop him if he tried to attack another dog.
My husband and I could not believe Oliver’s transformation when we picked him up three weeks later! Daniel had taken our aggressive, dominant and assertive Oliver and turned him into a calm, obedient and well disciplined dog. I would never have believed it to be possible if I had not seen it with my own eyes.
Daniel spent hours with us when we picked up Oliver to make sure that we knew exactly the right way to walk him and the right way to discipline him. He told us that he would not let us leave with Oliver until we were comfortable that we knew how to be the leaders he so desperately needed. Daniel has also graciously answered all of my follow up questions since the time Oliver came home.
I think of Daniel every time I am out for a walk with Oliver and we pass another dog without Oliver giving them a second look. Walking Oliver has become a true pleasure and I honestly doubted that would ever be possible.
Thank you from all of us, Daniel!
After getting my street dog from Brazil I thought he would just be like all the previous dogs I had which were from breeders and pet stores. Little did I know even though he seems great and very friendly that when he came to Canada and had to be walked on a leash or when I wanted to go take him to dog parks he would be a total nutcase!
I brought him back to Canada at about six months of age to find him another home so I only did the odd training lesson with him because I didn’t want to spend the money to do formal long-term training. I also couldn’t find a trainer I liked since many of them used treats which my dog was sick of being bribed with or electric shock .
Finally this spring when he was four years old and I knew it was fruitless to try to adopt him out since he was dangerous to other dogs and kids and would probably end up in a Humane Society or euthanized, I decided to formally find another owner for him. I .was desperate to have some peace since he was also trying to attack my cats every time they tried growing on my lap
I put an ad in a magazine to find a good owner who would treat him like I do. Somebody called me and said I should try Mellow Vibes dog training as a last ditch effort first.
So I did and checked them out online and called many people giving testimonials and decided they were the ones to go with and after babe was trained then I could give them away or maybe keep him if he was super great.
I met with them, left him there a couple weeks later for his one-month training and went on my first holiday in four years.
When I picked him up, I amazingly found over the next few days he was a totally different dog! He didn’t go crazy when we walked past other dogs, he didn’t try attacking my cats when they went near me or wanted to sit on my lap when I was reading, and he didn’t take and less walks where sometimes we could be out for two hours before he go home or let me take them inside
He sits when I tell him, stays when I tell him to, and he doesn’t pull me on walks or bark at every dog that goes by him as he used to do and as most dogs do!
I have to keep his training up and do the right corrections if he tries any funny stuff that odd times since in his mind he probably still wants to be boss but he’s well trained now and what to do. I just can’t spoil him as before and let him be the boss or he’ll take advantage as before but as long as he thinks I’m boss we are fine! Of course I’m a nice boss, just a firm one!
So mellow vibes certainly did a miracle as many trainers can’t turn around a four-year-old dog let alone a four-year-old former Street dog! They saved our lives!
Seriously. BABE, my Shepherd/Lab is a different dog!
No longer is he chasing rabbits on our walks either! I can even leave him in a room alone with my cats while they’re eating!
THANKFULLY I am MUCH more relaxed since getting Babe trained there.
Not too many trainers could turn around a 4 year old rescue dog like this without using shock collars. Since I’ll have him maybe 10 more years, it was worth spending the money for a month of training.
If you want your dog to be trained, but still keep his cute perky personality, send him to Mellow Vibes!
And if you want to borrow Babe when I go on holiday you can have some fun too!
From the first conversation I had with Boysie regarding the plethora of issues I was having with my pup Oscar, I knew I had found the right trainer. He offered me endless support, advice and encouragement throughout what had become a pretty difficult process. I was truly amazed at what a different dog I had brought home after his three weeks away. Boysie and Daniel worked with and prepared me for the transition and upkeep associated with dog training. However, I found myself struggling and ultimately realized that Oscar and I were not suited for each other. This was in no way a reflection of the amazing job that was done, and was in fact a difficult decision made much easier by Boysie’s endless support. He is one of the most genuinely kind and caring people I have encountered, as well as a true dog expert. Choosing Mellow Vibes will be the best decision you make for you and your canine companion!
After 2 years with us, I was ready to take our 4 year old German Sheppard cross rescue back to the Humane Society. She was so difficult to take out on walks- pulling and reacting very aggressively to any other dogs we encountered when out in the neighbourhood. As a last ditch effort we sent her to stay with Daniel for 2 weeks and she literally came home as a different dog. Easy to walk with around other dogs and better behaviour in and around the house. At the end of her stay with Daniel, he spent at least a two hours with us, so that we had the skills and commands needed to keep her new training intact. We are grateful and so glad we didn’t give up on her.
I’ve had dogs all my life, sometimes three at a time…..but my one year old, 6 1/2 pound Morkie…”Princess Abigail”, proved to be a humbling experience in terms of my being able to handle her. I would have never believed that I would ever agree to send any dog of mine off to a “live in” training facility….but I did….with absolutely no regrets. I admit it was difficult to have zero contact with Abigail for the three and a half weeks she was with Boysie & his family.
All of Abigail’s behavioural issues were addressed in her half hour progress video that I received when I picked her up…and before any payment was made by me. In other words, Boysie wanted to make sure that I was totally satisfied with the the results before he would accept payment.
After my three hours of training from Boysie on the new & improved methods of dealing with my pup, I felt like I was taking a new born home for the first time….I was really nervous! But at the same time, I was so inspired to be consistent in my approach with her. From time to time, I needed some telephone coaching that Boysie was so generous with. He seemed to understand that the training methods he had imparted to both Abigail & myself, would take a bit of time to become the new way of being.
It’s been a couple of months since Abigail completed her “formal” training and there is absolutely no doubt that her good behaviour.. or not…mirrors my approach with her. I always loved her, but with the help of Mellow Vibes, I can now really enjoy her as well.
I thoroughly recommend Boysie & his family if you are in need of “doggie” help….they are a pack of very special human beings!
We are first time dog owners and were overwhelmed when we brought our puppy home, but everyone told us that we were lucky we chose a calm puppy. This was the case for the first few days, no accidents, our new puppy wasn’t hyper and was even good around small children. Then the accidents started happening, she wouldn’t walk on a leash or listen to anything we said. The worst part was that when we put our sweet Penny in her kennel she would cry uncontrollably and shake even when we took her out. It’s safe to say we didn’t know what to do anymore.
We sent our Penny to Mellow Vibes hoping that they could fix her anxiety and the poor habits she was quickly gaining. Penny stayed at Mellow vibes for two and a half weeks and that was the best decision we could have made.
Nathan was her trainer and did such an incredible job. They gave us back a dog that we could go on long walks with, a dog that didn’t pester us when we were eating dinner and a dog that didn’t cry if she were left alone – In fact she runs to her crate when the door is open. She is a very smart and stubborn dog so she is a challenge to train but Nathan did an amazing job.
When we picked up Penny we were at Mellow Vibes for a few hours where they went through videos of her training and taught us how to do everything she had learnt. Then we brought her home and that’s when the real test began. At first Penny tried to test us by misbehaving and we called Mellow Vibes and they talked us through on what to do.
Now having Penny home for over a month she is doing amazing all thanks to Mellow Vibes. They are always there for us when we have questions and check in to see how Penny is doing. I would recommend them time and time again, not only because they are the best in Toronto at training dogs, but because they are great people too who are passionate about what they do.
A dog owner my husband met in High Park highly recommended Mellow Vibes to us, and I want to do the same for anyone reading this review. The work that Mellow Vibes did with our dog, Sadie, has changed our relationship with her. After her first week of training I emailed to ask how she was doing. The answer was “Sadie is a deeply troubled dog”. My heart sank, but it was the beginning of the changes that were necessary to address her severe anxiety. We went to Mellow Vibes because Sadie was dealing with being home alone, for even short periods, by putting large, deep holes in our walls. She was afraid of loud noises and when there was a thunderstorm or fireworks Sadie would want to hide in a closet, try to scratch a wall and tremble until the noise passed. The vet had put her on anti-depressants for this anxiety but she had to come off the medication before going to Mellow Vibes, so we got instructions for weaning her. Boysie and Daniel promised a better solution to our dog’s problems and they kept that promise.
When we picked Sadie up after training, the video Daniel showed us of our dog behaving like the dogs on their website was evidence of how she could behave and did behave with Paul, Daniel and Boysie, but what about with us? The answer to that question has been the most important part of our experience. Working with Boysie over the phone to learn how to do what Paul had done with Sadie, get her to respect us and enjoy being a calm dog, has been an education in dog psychology and a deep learning experience. Boysie is everything you could ask for in a teacher. He’s understanding, supportive, encouraging and has a great sense of humour. I recently heard that one of the characteristics of great teachers is that they ask great questions. A conversation with Bosyie always includes lots of questions and then he gives advice. I wasn’t always able to put the advice into practice right away, but with time the wisdom of his words became clear. Sadie’s still a work in progress, but I can’t say enough about Paul’s training and Daniel and Boysie’s patience and kindness because that has made it possible for us now to have the type of relationship with Sadie we’ve always wanted.
We are first time dog owners and were overwhelmed when we brought our puppy home, but everyone told us that we were lucky we chose a calm puppy. This was the case for the first few days, no accidents, our new puppy wasn’t hyper and was even good around small children. Then the accidents started happening, she wouldn’t walk on a leash or listen to anything we said. The worst part was that when we put our sweet Penny in her kennel she would cry uncontrollably and shake even when we took her out. It’s safe to say we didn’t know what to do anymore.
We sent our Penny to Mellow Vibes hoping that they could fix her anxiety and the poor habits she was quickly gaining. Penny stayed at Mellow vibes for two and a half weeks and that was the best decision we could have made.
Nathan was her trainer and did such an incredible job. They gave us back a dog that we could go on long walks with, a dog that didn’t pester us when we were eating dinner and a dog that didn’t cry if she were left alone – In fact she runs to her crate when the door is open. She is a very smart and stubborn dog so she is a challenge to train but Nathan did an amazing job.
When we picked up Penny we were at Mellow Vibes for a few hours where they went through videos of her training and taught us how to do everything she had learnt. Then we brought her home and that’s when the real test began. At first Penny tried to test us by misbehaving and we called Mellow Vibes and they talked us through on what to do.
Now having Penny home for over a month she is doing amazing all thanks to Mellow Vibes. They are always there for us when we have questions and check in to see how Penny is doing. I would recommend them time and time again, not only because they are the best in Toronto at training dogs, but because they are great people too who are passionate about what they do.
Daniel, I was so impressed with your work with my first Thai dog that I brought my second adoptee to you. Both are rescues from Thailand with difficult histories.
Before these two, the dogs in my life have been calm and easy to train. These two are completely different. Thanks to you, their behaviour has changed for the better. And you taught me how to maintain it – you have truly empowered me to be a better dog owner! Both dogs now feel more calm and secure because they recognise me as their alpha.
I will continue to board them with you if I travel. Thanks so much!
You’re probably checking out this website wondering, “Can Mellow Vibes Dog Training really fix my dog’s problems?” Let me unequivocally answer that question for you up-front, “Yes!”
Here’s my story. My cute, cuddly and adorable miniature poodle, Anakin, was an absolute disaster. He would bite me and other people unprovoked, bite other dogs, claim people as his “property” and growl if others approached, bark at people in public, bark at doors and scratch through walls when we left the house, pee on the carpet (even though he was house broken), and just generally did not obey commands. As ridiculous as this sounds, this 17 pound dog totally took over our lives and was making us miserable. We tried to solve the problems and failed many times prior to coming to Mellow Vibes. We were at our wits ends, and to be honest we were feeling pretty hopeless.
This all changed after Anakin spent three weeks at Mellow Vibes. What we got back was a calm, submissive, well behaved dog. Everything he does (or doesn’t do) seems like a small miracle to us. He no longer barks, he walks like a true gentleman, he even sits at the threshold of doors and does not proceed until we invite him to. It is truly incredible.
Positive change will not only happen to your dog but in how you interact with your dog. Bosie will train you on how to be a better dog owner. He spent 3 hours teaching us his methods on the day we picked up Anakin. That was followed with several hour long telephone follow ups as well as several hours worth of in-person sessions at Mellow VIbes. Bosie was always available and truly guarantees success and follows through! He is not only a great teacher and trainer, he is a great motivator!
We’ve now had Anakin back for 3 months and our lives have been so much more peaceful and harmonious. We now enjoy taking Anakin to the park and seeing him interact with other dogs. If and when he does exhibit inappropriate behaviour we have the knowledge and the tools to correct it to ensure that it does not happen again.
Thank you Mellow Vibes!
We brought our 4 year old Vizsla, Scarlett, to Boysie and Daniel back in March, 2015 for the initial visit. A longer visit than initially anticipated (over 2 hours), we left realizing two things: 1) we were confident Daniel and Boysie could help us, and our dog and 2) if we were to invest in the training financially, we also had to be both fully committed as dog owners, to ensure we would see the results they were guaranteeing. The training is as much for the dog, as it is for the owners.
A bit of background on Scarlett. My husband had spent months researching the Vizsla breed, so we knew before we picked up Scarlett from the breeder in Peterborough, that she was a very energetic dog, needing a lot of exercise. And we were committed to giving her that exercise. Regardless of the exercise though, we were still seeing what we felt was defiant and destructive behaviour – constantly peeing and pooping in her crate. In fact, for several months, we chalked up the peeing and pooping to health issues and visited countless vets to rule out serious conditions. Everything came up negative. We then assumed her chronic diarrhea was giardia, so she was on regular antibiotics to “cure” her from that. But regardless of the drugs, she continued peeing and pooping (even eating her feces). We crate trained her, then I figured the peeing and pooping was because she hated her crate/felt it was too small so we let her roam the house while we weren’t home (bad idea), then we left her in a locked room downstairs – nothing changed the problem, she continued peeing and pooping.
Other behaviours that we struggled to understand included bad anxiety – to sound (skateboarders, clotheslines, thunderstorms, sirens) and to objects (broom, balloons, strange items on the ground). We researched lots of different methods for all of these behaviours, and hired two trainers (including a dog whisperer). Scarlett also pulled a ton of the leash, lunging for every stick and/or piece of garbage on the sidewalk, and would get very VERY energetic playing with other dogs – never aggressive but overly excited. After moving to the Roncesvalles area and having our daughter last year (she’s now 1), we knew we needed to do something for Scarlett. She was constantly on edge, running to the door every time someone came over to visit, and paced in the house.
We regularly saw Boysie and Daniel on Roncesvalles training other dogs. They appeared to be confident leaders with their animals – never aggressive, but firm, and the dogs they were walking always seemed to know who was boss. The other thing that really stood out about them was how many people knew them, and would open say hi and stop to chat (if the dog they were training was permitted to stop and chat). Those things really stood out for us.
When we dropped Scarlett off at Boysie’s house, I knew we’d be leaving her for at least 3 weeks. After the initial assessment, Daniel and Boysie both said they hadn’t seen a case of anxiety as bad as Scarlett’s in a long time, and said it would be at least 3 weeks. I left her with a heavy heart, as I was unsure if the 3+ weeks would be too much for her.
But it was the best thing we could have done for her. Boysie was available for check ins all the time. He was honest and straightforward, Daniel too. When we finally picked Scarlett up, my husband and I were beyond excited, but we knew we had to adhere to the instructions in order to give Scarlett the trust and confidence in us, she so obviously needed. And no, we did not pick up a “robot dog” as many people think their dog will become, after being with Boysie for 3 weeks. Scarlett still has her energetic spirit, but it’s contained. And she understands when she can be playful and when she needs to relax.
For me, this training was more for me, than for Scarlett, as it gave me the skills and confidence to handle her in all kinds of situations, especially being at home with our infant daughter. Yes, she’s had set backs – but we know we’re to blame when she starts acting up again (we haven’t been consistent with her training, she’s getting confused, we’ve slacked on some of the commands because we’re tired, etc.).
So, all this to say – if you have a dog whom you love, your dog is exhibiting behaviours that are a concern, AND you are fully committed to making changes for your dog, DO NOT hesitate to contact Boysie and Daniel. I would highly recommend this father/son team. My only regret is having not reached out to them sooner.
First of all I would highly recommend Boise as a dog trainer and achieving results as set out. After extensive research combined with gut-instinct is what lead me to choose Boysie as my dog trainer.
Other trainers/”Dog Whispers” offer going to your home and magically re-balancing a troubled dog within 3 hours at a rate of 1000 dollars plus travel time, which I think is absolutely impossible. They rely on quick fix solutions and band-aiding the problems instead of eliminating them. They make you feel villainised for spoiling your dog instead of understanding what got you to that point.
One thing is clear, my dog had behavioural issues that all be it I take responsibility for, however I alone was not equipped to correct them.
Boysie didn’t make me feel guilty for spoiling my dog, instead he understood, listened to me, and then after her 3 week training course equipped me with the tools I needed in order to get the results I desperately needed.
My dog had the following: stubborn (personality), yappy (behavioural), alpha dog (personality & behavioural), confrontational (behavioural), snapped at men and children (behavioural), anxious (behavioural), couldn’t travel in bag (behavioural), was all over the place while walking (behavioural)
My largest concern was the barking and snapping at children as I am a new mom and could no longer tolerate either. Boysie successfully corrected all the behavioural issues. I categorized them because my dogs personality is still there, but I now know how to control the personality and the behaviour has been corrected.
My dog will always try her same gimmicks, after all she is a dog but because of the tools Boysie gave me I can now get after her promptly when she tries and she responds, unlike before. This is a vast improvement.
I am very pleased with the results of my 6 year old chihuahua. Boysie is expensive but his training works and he includes follow up care as well as if you have forgotten a method will take the time to walk you through your issue.
He is a family oriented man and I felt very comfortable with my little dog in his home and under his lead.
Our story may be quite different from many of those who have discovered Boysie and his family. Our dog was not aggressive or misbehaved but had extreme unexplainable anxiety and fear of just about everything on the planet. Boysie referred to him as a “Freaky Freaky dog”
Having had 2 Golden Retrievers prior to Pablo, we figured getting a pup aged 10 months would be easier to deal with. When we took Pablo home immediately it was apparent that he had never been on a leash, never been inside a house or a car and was extremely timid.
The day we brought him home, getting him in the car was a challenge and it was a nightmare to get him inside the house, he couldn’t walk on the tiles or the hardwood floor and had no idea how to walk up stairs. What started that day and continued for the past 2 years was a living hell – we were unable to walk Pablo anywhere – he was always hyper vigilant, whipping his head from side to side, walking low to the ground, constantly looking behind, whimpering, drooling and lunging to run away from things, basically “freaking out” – you name it, he was afraid of it, garbage cans, garbage bags, strollers, people sweeping, signs, practically everything. We initially thought this was due to the transition from country to city but we were sadly wrong.
We sought out supposed “experts” on dogs with fears and phobias, researched every article we could, tried the “Thundershirt”, tried the “Dog appeasing pheromone” collar, took the dog to obedience classes thinking it would give him structure (this failed miserably as to get to the class was a stress filled nightmare of a walk). We were advised to “put him down”, “give him drugs”, give him up. None of these were viable options for us.
We heard of Boysie via a neighbour who had recently adopted a rescue dog with severe aggression and who had some amazing results with his training.
Pablo spent almost 4 weeks in Boysie’s home, we figured even if he came home 1% improved it would be better than what we had lived with over the past 2 years. The transformation in Pablo has been unbelievably outstanding – we can walk him on traffic filled streets, past groups of people and kids, regardless of garbage cans or trucks. We can cross busy streets without being in fear of our lives. We have also been able to travel (We just returned from a car trip to Florida staying in several hotels, with over 24 hours of driving – something we never thought possible)
As Boysie explained, “I can’t make him like those things he is afraid of, but I can give you the leadership skills to help him get through it and adapt”. It doesn’t stop there either, Boysie’s phone calls to get updates and reiterate the training plan, as well as to talk you through any roadblocks you are facing are ongoing. He wants to know every detail and offers support and guidance, which, believe me, you really need with a dog like Pablo.
Boysie taught us that Pablo needed a leader to help guide him through all his fears without babying him or giving in to his fear. We had to become that leader as Pablo clearly has terrible leadership skills !! Boysie told us that deep down Pablo had dominance issues therefore we did not have proper control over him to allow him to feel at ease when faced with a scary object or situation.
So now we are able to go for daily walks, usually 1 hour or more, (several times a day) always incorporating a busy (previously scary) area of the city, we cross roads with ease, garbage day we pass garbage bins and maybe slam a few lids just to enforce they are nothing to be afraid of. We can go for car trips without a problem. Pablo is calm, relaxed and content at home no longer pacing.
What Boysie and his family (in particular Daniel) have done is nothing short of a miracle. I know its early days and we will have challenges along the way – I finally feel we have the dog we always wanted. I don’t even know where to start to thank them but I will recommended them at any opportunity I can and would be happy to talk to anyone considering using mellow vibes because they really are Irie !!!!
You won’t regret sending your dog to Mellow Vibes Dog Training! I have a 4 year old German Shepard that was beginning to act aggressively towards other dogs, in, off and on leash situations. I was extremely over whelmed and did not have the tools to correct this aggression. One day I began searching dog training for aggression in the Toronto area, although, I am from Hamilton and I came across the Mellow Vibes Dog Training website. I watched the videos posted and read the reviews and everything seemed to have very positive feedback. I called Daniel and that week I had a consultation for my dog and myself. I was so blown away at what anxious traits that my dog was showing that had never occurred to me. A week after that Blue was on way to his three week stay at Mellow Vibes. Daniel was in contact with me through out Blue’s training and was very informative and supportive. Blue has demonstrated such a difference it still amazes me to this day. It was important that I kept my end with the training in order to really see results at home. Therefore, Blue and I make a constant effort to have daily practice, with lots of exercise. Blue has been back for further weekend visits when I am out of town because Daniel is someone I trust to watch and further work with my dog while I am away. It was my best money spent! I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL!
Boysie’s 12 year old daughter Sarah is just like any other 12 year old girl when you first meet her. Until you see her training a dog. She transforms immediately into an experienced pack leader who knows exactly what she expects from her pack, which is total obedience.
When we left our 12-week-old Australian Labradoodle puppy with Boysie, we had confidence that we would return to find her walking properly on her leash instead of doing cartwheels and biting at it. She just could not walk a straight line without all the antics. When we returned 11 days later, we met our perfectly behaved beauty, who sat without a command and never pulled on the leash at all. She would ‘drop it’ when asked and she ignored all other dogs and people we passed on the street. It did take some work on our part to maintain the training, because we needed to train ourselves to be 100% consistent. We were amazed when we were told that this is the 1st dog Sarah has completely trained from start to finish. Well, that girl’s a pro, just like her dad and brothers. They are an amazing family of dog whisperers.
If it’s results you’re looking for, these are the people you can trust with your dog. Our dog had no aggression or food/toy guarding issues but we did see dogs there who did and it was a joy to watch them working with these dogs. All of the trainers are quiet, gentle and soft spoken. They are completely focused on their job with the dogs and every dog we saw when we were there for consultation was perfectly behaved. You would never guess what they were there for if they didn’t tell you. This is a family with a calling and they are just a joy to be around. I can’t believe a 12-year-old could do what we could not do, even though we had watched all Cesar Millan’s videos and really understood and agreed with the theory. Thank you so much Sarah and Boysie!
Toronto has two “Dog Whisperers” and their names are Daniel and Boysie ! Prior to finding Mellow Vibes Dog Training, my husband and I were anxious, frustrated and near void of patience and hope with our 1 ½ year old Hungarian Puli. We had tried other trainers before Mellow Vibes and nothing worked. We wasted time and money on Bark Busters without any results at all. It was awful and discouraging until I heard about Boysie and his son Daniel. Then our lives changed forever.
Daniel rehabilitated our Puli from an unpredictable dog to a loving and trusted family member. Daniel personifies his father’s instinctual training and rehabilitation techniques. Our dog (Stella) had possession problems, leash aggression and was unpredictable around children between certain ages. She was not comfortable with people coming up to her and petting her on the street. Daniel took her into his home and completely TRANSFORMED our dog into a well-mannered, obedient dog that strangers felt the need to tell me, “what a well behaved dog”. I am telling you, it NEVER gets old to hear those words come out of peoples’ mouths. It is the best feeling to walk Stella down busy streets full of people and other dogs without an embarrassing incident. Gone are the days of feeling the need to cross the street when we see other dogs, or trying to distract her with a treat so she doesn’t notice the dog passing us on the sidewalk. We can give Stella a bone without being fearful that she will growl and charge us.
Daniel not only gave us the tools to sustain the new transformed behaviours but he has continued to provide us with words of wisdom and training. Ultimately, my husband and I have peace of mind……it is the best feeling. We have confidence in our training and discipline at home due to the lesson(s) Daniel (and Boysie) taught us during our hands-on session when we picked Stella up from her training.
I will never stop being grateful to Daniel for giving us the dog we dreamed of and for providing us with the training on keeping her the perfect dog. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, a million times THANK YOU!!!
Looking for a good dog trainer is hard. Of course, as anyone would be, both my boyfriend and I were skeptical. It’s a lot of money to be spending on your dog – but after all the trial-and-error puppy schools, trainers and ”dog whisperers” you’ll go to, it’ll end up saving you money by choosing Mellow Vibes. So, after researching several options for our 4 month old German Shepherd puppy, we came to the conclusion that Boysie was the right way to go.
We set up a consultation and met with him to discuss the puppy’s needs. We knew we had to train our pup before she got to be over a hundred pounds and we wouldn’t be able to control her. Her main issues were pulling on the leash, fixating on children and being timid around other dogs (which affected socialization). After speaking with Boysie, we didn’t even realize all the other small issues she had such as licking, crying for attention, etc. He was so educated on dogs and was open and honest about what we needed to fix and what we didn’t. Overall I left feeling good about our new puppy staying there for a couple of weeks.
When our pup returned, she was crate trained, knew several and very useful hand signals and walked right beside us without pulling on the leash or getting fixated with people and dogs passing by. It was great! From this experience we learned that it’s as much about training you, the owner, as it is the dog. Boysie spent hours teaching us how to be ”alpha-dog” and make her respect us. He even gave us a collar for her to walk with and a DVD of him working one-on-one with her. When we didn’t know what to do in a certain situation we just gave him a call and he explained to us how to fix the issue. He’s willing to work with you even after you’ve paid him, which really proved to us that he cares. We plan on boarding our pup with him whenever we go away and are so thankful for the things he’s taught us.
Thanks for all your work Boysie!
Boysie is not just a dog trainer, he is the true inspiration of how strong the human-dog bond can be. He taught me how to build a real connection and understanding with my dogs. His patience, kindness and the extraordinary talent to connect with dogs are second to none! With each day passing by, I can feel the mutual understanding, trust, and love between me and my dogs grow.
Jake (Blue Heeler mix) and Abby (Bichon and American Eskimo) are like my dream coming true. Then it was a nightmare. Abby knew no commands but Jake was a destroyer. Jake’s anxiety level was through the roof. Within a year, he chewed up an entire Christmas tree, walls, tiles, furniture, glasses, shoes, and my laptop. He was guaranteed to have a fight in the dog park every night even though I started taking him there since he was three months old. I left Jake and Abby in a play pen with water and pee pad while I was at work. By the time I came home, Jake would have relieved himself, chewed up the water tray, and Abby would be covered in his pee and poo. He also would not pee or poo on leash so I always had to take him to the park or just use a pee pad at home. Worst of all, he was constantly having diarrhea – 6 vet visits, numerous tests and dewormers, different dog food just never helped.
After months of calling all the dog trainers in GTA, finally I found Boysie! Getting Jake was literally the worst decision of my life but finding Boysie was the best thing that has ever happened to me. In two weeks time, Jake became the model dog on the block and his diarrhea stopped. Since Boysie taught me how to be my dog’s leader, Jake is relaxed and with no more anxiety his stomach settled down. Words cannot express my gratitude towards Boysie.
Unlike other trainers I called, Boysie told me that I don’t need to bring both my dogs to him and truly with his guidance, I have trained Abby myself. I just can’t believe his generosity. Now both my dogs are walking advertisement. I bike with both in the morning and they would still be calm even after I’ve been gone for 14 hours at work. I can leave my food out, even on the ground, and walk out of the room, and they won’t even try to take the meat. And just like what you see in Boysie’s videos, my dogs will drop anything in their mouth (meat, fruits, treats) on command. I now groom Abby at home myself and she will just sit there calmly for 2 hours.
Boysie truly transformed my life with my dogs and he is definitely one of my most respected persons for his genuine love towards dogs, humbleness around people, and mellow vibes!
My 10-month-old Samoyed Layla was extremely sweet, friendly, loving…and spoiled. As a first time dog owner, I did myself, and Layla, a disservice to coddling and spoiling her to the point where she could not be alone without having severe separation anxiety. This resulted in dog daycare costs of over $600 a month, noise complaints from neighbours if she was left alone, and a condo that was pillow-free due to her destroying anything she could when left alone. After her three-week stay with Boysie and his family, Layla became a new dog. She kept her sweet disposition but her behaviour and anxiety has significantly improved.
Layla had the following issues:
– Separation anxiety. When left alone or in her crate, she would bark for hours, defecate, and destroy anything she could.
o Layla now stays in her crate for hours without having an accident and minimal barking.
– Alpha dog . Layla knew she was the boss and was constantly jumping up, licking and getting in my space and strangers space.
o Layla now waits to be invited to be petted and does not jump on me, visitors to our house or strangers on the street. Layla never tries to eat people food even when it is dropped in front of her nose.
– Poor Walking. Layla used to walk in front of me dragging me where she wanted to go. She would need to stop and say hi to every dog or person passing her.
o Layla now walks right beside me. When I stop, she sits immediately and waits patiently for me to resume the walk. She looks straight ahead and no longer pulls towards other dogs or people.
– Poor Listening. Layla did what she wanted and did not listen to any of my commands.
o Layla can now follow the basic commands of sit, stay, down….get out of the way.
I can’t thank Boysie enough and highly recommend him to anyone. He was lovely and supportive and followed up many times after her initial 3 week training. He had me back two additional times to ensure I was maintaining her training and worked with my family (who care for her sometimes) so that they could interact with her in way that facilitated good behaviour. Boysie truly has a way with dogs and genuinely cares about helping dogs and their owners. At first, you might think he is being too tough on your dog but he is simply teaching them how to be happy, healthy, disciplined dogs. It is clear that dogs LOVE him and respect him. If you have a dog with behavioural and anxiety issues, you need to see Boysie! It is money well spent.
Wow! Is my 4 year old Brazilian rescue dog, BABE, ever a new boy, thanks to Mellow Vibes! He no longer lunges at dogs, nor attacks them, barks at them, or runs ahead of me on walks! He doesn’t even look at them! Nor does he try lunge at my cats when they want to sit on me!
And surprisingly, he now listens to me when I want him to sit or get up!!
My brother in law can’t believe it–yesterday the dog lounged in the backyard four hours without digging one hole or chasing squirrels! He thinks the dog is now on Valium!
If these trainers can transform THIS dog, they could transform any dog!!
And no, he no longer hops on furniture anymore!
You probably have a dog because you’re a dog person. Perhaps you’ve had dogs all your life like me. Well, you can throw everything you thought you knew about dogs out the window when you meet Boysie and Daniel! They taught me things about dogs and my behavior with my dog that I had never really thought of. And frankly, until Lumi, my 1 year old American Eskimo came along, had never been an issue with other dogs in my life. Looking back, I consider it pure luck with the dogs I used to have!
Do you let your dog lean on you? Do you allow your dog to bring you a toy and decide when it’s play time? All these little things and more, you will learn about and how to change in your habits with your dog. In fact, as long as you take your training seriously, and do everything Boysie and Daniel tell you to do—then you too can have success!
I’m not sure why you’re seeking a dog trainer but I had a real problem on my hands. I had a 16 pound dog that was ruling the roost, thought he was king of the castle and worst of all he bit 3 people and myself! I was so devastated—near tears, at my wit’s end, frustrated from other trainers, books, articles and advice I was trying to incorporate and getting nowhere. I couldn’t have a dog that bites—and I didn’t know how to fix the problem. I watched marathon sessions of Caesar Milan’s Dog Whisperer show but still couldn’t solve my problems with Lumi. I needed hands on help!
I had to say good-bye to Lumi for 3 weeks. It was so hard to be without him even though I felt really good about the home-style care/training and boarding that Mellow Vibes provides. But when it was over I was reunited with a calmer, happier, well-behaved dog who was eager for a leader to live with! That is where my training came in and Daniel and Boysie were great teachers.
I will never forget the first walk after I had Lumi back at home. I leashed him up and he immediately scooted over to my left side in a sit position and waited calmly for me to open the door and lead him out, looking to me for my every command. When we hit the sidewalk there was no yanking and pulling on the leash. No darting for sticks and sniffing the ground. No dog, loud noise or even a squirrel could distract him. I almost cried because this is what it felt like to really walk with your dog! It was a beautiful thing!
I will admit I am still learning, but their after-service follow up is top-notch, or top dog! J Daniel is fantastic at returning my emails and answering my questions. I feel like I finally have the “go to” person for guidance that I really needed.
Whatever it is you are seeking training for I would not hesitate to recommend Mellow Vibes. If you’re considering the money aspect—consider how much money and time you put into classes, training, books, videos and are not getting the results you want. But most importantly, consider what is best for your dog—he is your responsibility and he relies on you for a happy, safe and well-balanced life. I can guarantee you it will be worth every penny!
I adopted my dog, Tucker, in January 2012 and soon thereafter noticed he had dominance/aggression issues with other dogs, and unneutered (in-tact) males in particular. This caused Tucker to randomly and violently lunge on leash while going on walks and it made it impossible to visit the dog park with him. This was not a suitable situation for a dog living in downtown Toronto. After (unsuccessfully) working with three different trainers, I found Boysie at Mellow Vibes online and decided to go in for a consultation. Immediately upon meeting him, I could tell that Boysie was different than other trainers – he was more experienced, more understanding, and more confident than anyone I had talked to about Tucker’s issues previously.
After the initial one-hour consultation, Boysie agreed to work with Tucker and I decided that this was the right way to go. The alternative was continuing to spend hundreds of dollars here and there without really achieving the desired results. I was confident that my investment in Boysie’s rehabilitation and training methods would pay off. A few days later, I dropped Tucker off and then went through a very lonely and difficult three weeks without him. Upon my reunion with Tucker, I was amazed. Boysie showed me a video of the dog’s progress over the three weeks, and I didn’t recognize the dog on the screen. Boysie explained to me how he worked with Tucker, clarified the dog’s temperament to me, but most importantly shared his insight and knowledge into Tucker’s personality, the things that made him tick, and his stubbornness. He spent almost two hours explaining to me how my dog thinks, what he feels, what he needs in life, and how to accurately and unmistakably read his cues and body language.
I returned home with Tucker and had to work hard over the next few weeks to get the message across that the behaviour that was expected at Boysie’s was also expected at my home and that the rules had changed. While it was hard to always be consistent and “on” when with the dog, I recognized the importance of persevering. Having seen what a wonderful dog Tucker can be provided further motivation, as I knew that I could get the same results as Boysie if I followed his advice exactly. Within just a couple of short weeks, I saw significant improvements with Tucker. Not only did the lunging on leash stop, but he became an all-around more pleasant dog in every aspect of life. Things that I didn’t even consider “major” issues improved significantly! I finally saw how stress-free and pleasant living with a four-legged companion could be. Tucker even had daily trips to the dog park and played with other dogs! He also became very respectful around those dogs he did not like (i.e., in-tact males).
These results caused me to relax and loosen up on the rules a bit, so a few months later Tucker regressed a tiny little bit. This is where the most important part of choosing Boysie as a trainer comes in. When encountering these little setbacks, I was always able to give Boysie a call! And he would spend sometimes hours on the phone with me, encouraging me, and giving me concrete, easy-to-follow steps on how I can regain control and stop the small issues before they became big problems. And twice already I went back to Boysie in person (free of charge) to get a bit of a refresher!
I would recommend Boysie for anyone who is having major behavioural issues with their dog, which are making their lives difficult. This is one wise, knowledgeable, helpful man with a HUGE HEART – he really loves these dogs!
Sophie is our four year old French Bulldog. We brought her to Boysie at the same time we brought our one and a half year old Frenchie Oliver to Daniel. To be honest, we didn’t really think we had a problem with Sophie. We just figured that we might as well get her trained at the same time as Oliver.
Boy were we wrong! Boysie helped us to see that many of Oliver’s problems were in fact rooted in behaviours which we failed to discipline in Sophie. Too many years of treating Sophie as our fur baby had not done her any favours. Boysie helped Sophie to become a dog again.
Boysie taught us that ultimately it was my husband and me who had the most work to do. He patiently showed us how Sophie should behave around us and then carefully taught us how to make it happen without him around. He demonstrated over and over the proper way give a command and showed us when is the right time to give love.
We are tremendously grateful to Boysie for all he has done for us! He solved problems for us that we didn’t even know we had. And the best part is that Sophie is a much happier dog for it.
Thank you, Boysie!
Having Castle as our very first dog proved to be a challenge that became harder and harder to cope with. From when he was a puppy, he was babied and pampered, and as he became older and grew larger, it was evident that he was becoming out of control. At a year old he didn’t respond to his name, he jumped on all people in excitement, he didn’t react well to other dogs and barked constantly. Now walking him was the biggest hassle of all. He would pull on the leash so hard I would be walking almost horizontally trying to hold him back. Neither a nose piece nor a chain collar helped 100% because his size overpowered both. And lastly, his aggression over his own possessions was the worst of all. As soon as Castle had something in his mouth, getting it back, no matter what it was, was almost impossible unless there was some sort of bribe with treats involved.
During just the consultation, after about 15 minutes, Boysie had already figured out what the problem was with Castle, just by watching how Castle acted with us. We were amazed at how accurately he recounted what we had been doing wrong all along. Having seen another dog that Boysie trained and being desperate to calm Castle down, we signed him up!
The day that we went to pick Castle up wasn’t just a normal quick pick up deal. Boysie and his son spent the required time to show us, in detail, how to further continue the proper techniques in keeping Castle trained. Castle was like a new dog! Today, he responds to his own name, he comes when he’s called, the aggression is gone, walking him is a delight with just a simple leash, and for the first time since we brought him home, he is obedient. All in all Boysie’s son, Daniel, did a wonderful job with Castle. Even after bringing Castle home, Daniel advised us to call with as many questions or concerns we had, in order to make sure we felt confident with Castle’s behaviour. Of all the trainings we tried, this is the one that I would recommend to all other dog owners.
We first heard about Boise from a friend who had brought her dog to Boise. She explained that her dog had been very aggressive toward people and, with the help of Boise, the problem disappeared.
Our English Mastiff had always been exceedingly timid and fearful of people as well as unfamiliar territory – to the point that she would pee when approached by virtually anyone and experience untimely bowel movements anywhere that she was especially uncomfortable. She would attempt to bolt in the other direction when approached by any person during her on-leash walks. Displays of dominance toward other dogs in the park were becoming commonplace and affecting her off-leash walks. We did not want this to escalate into dangerous displays of aggression with other dogs or people. Also, listening in the park when she was off leash and running up and down stairs with her long and clumsy legs had become a worrisome problem.
After some extensive research and a sit down with Boise and his son Daniel, we decided to leave our puppy in their care to see if they could work their magic on her. She would remain in their care for two weeks.
Upon picking her up, both Daniel (her primary trainer) and Boise took the time to help us understand how to continue the training at home; home training is ongoing and requires time and patience. They promised to continue to help us with any obstacles that we might face moving forward and, true to their word, they have provided us with a level of service, care and support that surpassed our expectations.
About one month after the conclusion of her training a few behavioural problems cropped up. We called Daniel right away. He and Boise were happy to take her back for a few days and to spend another couple of hours training us by observing and correcting our interactions with our puppy while walking around the city. They reinforced good training habits and showed us how to properly treat any behavioural problems that we might experience with our dog.
Our Mastiff is still a little timid with strangers (no longer to the point of urinating on approach!) but off-leash recall has improved tremendously and walking her on-leash is no problem at all now; she stops and sits every time we stop and at every door and will only move when we tell her to come. It is now a joy to see her playing with other dogs because we no longer have to worry about any inappropriate displays of dominance toward other dogs.
Boise and Daniel are amazing with dogs and have a deep understanding of the underlying causes of, and solutions to, behavioural problems (of both man and dog) that can negatively affect the relationship. I would recommend Boise and Daniel to anyone; whether you need to reinforce basic commands or treat real problems such as aggressive/alpha behaviour or extreme timidity, their unique and caring approach is a smart investment. Our relationship with Bernie, our English Mastiff, and her quality of life has improved immeasurably since Boise and Daniel came into our lives.
Where to begin. Our whole family is so thankful that we brought our dog Lily to Boysie. Our dog, Lily, is a cross between a Bernese Mountain and a Greater Swiss Mountain dog. We brought her to Boise when she was 10 months old and already 80 lbs.
Although we had done some dog training classes with her, she would only listen to us sporadically. Walking her was unbelievably difficult as she would pull all the time and sniff constantly. Lily’s other big problem was her excitement. Lily was an overly friendly dog, but thought she could get excited anytime another dog or person even spoke or came near her. Walking her was no longer fun and our children could only interact with her in the house where she was more calm. Lily was also nervous around loud sounds or things that rattled. We dreaded garbage day.
After coming home from Boysie, we can now walk Lily more than twice the distance we used to walk her and in less time. Our children can now walk her too, which they love! She doesn’t sniff the ground, she doesn’t feel the need to smell everyone’s lawn and she comes when we call her. Because of her high energy level, Boysie suggested we exercise her by taking her on bike rides. This is something we never could have even thought possible before. Because Lily is so good walking now, it was easy to get her to run next to us (on her leash) whilst on our bikes. Now, we even go out as a family for bike rides with Lily, and she loves it.
One of the great things that I really appreciated after Lily came home was that Boysie and I spoke everyday on the phone so that I could ask him questions and also give him updates on how she was doing.
Boysie’s training with Lily not only made us happier, but gave us an even happier dog back. I would recommend Boysie to anyone. Thanks again Boysie.
Out of all the other trainers I’ve read about, I went to Boysie because I’ve heard of his reputation. It’s been 11 days since I’ve gotten my 4 month pup back. I can tell you that he did an amazing job on her, she listens well and is very well behaved. He explained to me how his method helped and taught my brother and I the skill to follow it through. I have been very happy with the results and it was completely worth driving in from Hamilton. Thanks Boysie!
Who knew a google search for dog training would ever lead to a life changing experience. I was lucky enough to come across Mellow Vibes Irie Dog Training. After watching the videos posted on their website I called my fiancee to tell him I think I had found the answers to our problems.
Our problem is a 1 year old English Bulldog named Tubby. Tubby is a very sweet and lovable dog but his behaviour was not reflective of his personality. Tubby did not respect me and saw himself as my Alpha. This led to a total lack of respect, he would not listen to me and was confused as to where his place was in our pack. As soon as my fiancee saw the videos I made the call that would change all of our lives for the better. At our consultation with Boysie it was clear to him what our problem was and he had no problem telling us. Boysie is straight up and will tell you like it is which we needed.
During the consultation Boysie did some training just to show us the potential Tubby had. We were sold. If we could’ve we would have left Tubby there that night. Finally the day came to drop Tubby off, we knew he was in great hands and we were right. After a week and a half we got the call that Tubby was ready. Friday night we went to pick him up and start our training. When we walked in we sat down to watch some videos of what Tubby had learned.
To say we were blown away would be an understatement! We saw him walking down a busy street without a care in the world just happy to be out and about glued to Boysie’s side. We got to see him play with other dogs and come when Boysie called. Or sit and wait for his treat. I had tears in my eyes. I was so overwhelmed with the transformation that had taken place. There on the screen was the dog we knew Tubby could be. As we were watching these video’s Tubby was sat at the door with Boysie not making a peep and just relaxing.
Boysie is so knowledgeable and really takes the time to talk to you and listen to any questions you may have. You can tell he loves what he does and it’s reflected in his work. We are now 3 months post training and Tubby is still a star! People who knew Tubby pre-Boysie are shocked to see the transformation that has happened. They don’t believe he’s the same dog. With the work Boysie put in Thank You does not seem adequate. He restored peace and harmony in our home and for that we will be forever grateful!
Our youngest son was 4 months old when Daisy (and Boysie) came into our lives. Boysie trained us, as well as Daisy. We were taught to mean what we say, to command respect and Daisy has been a wonderful addition to the family. Boysie is an absolute pleasure to work with and we are incredibly grateful for his talent. Interestingly, his dog-whispering techniques work on children too! I wholeheartedly recommend Boysie and his team, our family wouldn’t have evolved as it has without him!
I can’t thank Boysie and his family enough for coming to the aid
of my dog and me. No one was exactly certain what assistance Dooch needed;… if it were for treating aggression, separation anxiety? It always seemed difficult to find an answer to the problem.
Boysie made it seem simple. He and his sons worked with my dog, and more importantly, worked with me. Since then, the change in the relationship I share with Dooch has been amazingly notable! My dog seems happier, more relaxed, and our bond, stronger and more secure. As a result, I have more time for myself. When my dog was at Boysie’s house, Boysie dropped a chicken bone on the floor, and my dog didn’t even look at him, bolt for it or budge. It was completely out of the ordinary for him. I was hesitant this greater behaviour would not last, but with the help, followup, and guidance from Boysie, I am becoming accustomed now to getting compliments on my well- behaved dog.
Boysie and his family have a remarkable energy. As soon as you meet them, you understand not only why they get such amazing results, you also feel comfortable leaving your dog in their capable hands. Watching their family with my dog on video, when picking him up, allowed me to see and understand the process better, and how I would need to emulate their good work to get these desired effects at home. Thank you so much Mellow Vibes! Your help has allowed my dog and I to have a better relationship and live better lives.
All the best!
I purchased a Sheepadoodle puppy, Rufus, and everyone always says Rufus is the cutest guy but WOW little do they know what a stubborn, dominant personality he has! After only 1 week with Rufus I realized that I could not train him because of my MS limitations. After watching hours of video on the Mellow Vibes website I decided to give Boysie a shot. I took Rufus to Boysie when he was only 9 weeks old and literally knew nothing! And I mean nothing… not even his own name!
About 2½ weeks later I received an email with a video from Daniel (Boysie’s son) of Rufus and honestly it was magical to watch! Rufus was a well behaved little guy! He waited patiently at doors until he was invited to come in or go out. He walked beautifully on the leash..was not distracted by anything (and I mean anything – pigeons, other dogs, children on scooters/skateboards, loud noises).
Rufus is a true gentleman on the leash now. I always know he is to my left and a little behind me even when we are going up or down the stairs which is very important to someone like me with a disability. Rufus never whines and I think I’ve only heard him bark twice since he’s been back. I was also worried about aggression because my son told me he heard Rufus growl once and this cute little puppy is going to be about 80 lbs. After being back with us Rufus shows no signs of aggression. We even have a little kitten who loves to swat Rufus in his face and Rufus couldn’t care less. One time Rufus was chewing on a bone when the kitten came over and started chewing the other end of the same bone and Rufus acted as if the kitten didn’t even exist! Rufus is still only 3½ months old so I’m still reinforcing everything Boysie taught Rufus (sit, come, stay, touch, roll over, take it, drop it (Rufus can have a piece of steak in his mouth and if I say drop it he drops it!), close the door, crawl, play dead, and creep). If I ever have any follow up questions Boysie has promised he’s just a phone call away. Bottom line….Boysie + naughty boy = great companion!
We realize that it has been quite some time since we left our little dog, Grayson, with you for his much-needed rehabilitation but it has been such an extraordinarily busy time, there just wasn’t a window to write this note.
Nevertheless, we have thought of the two of you often….every time we are able to cuddle with Grayson without fear, or we are able to call him in the park and have him make a bee line back to us, when we say ‘drop’ and the ball that was clenched in his teeth lands on the ground. We know all the other dog owners look at us with envy and awe…we feel like ‘dog whisperers’.
Stephen and I have both wanted to express our gratitude to the both of you for your efforts with our little guy, as well as with us. We will probably want to drop in again for a bit of a refresher course…he’s so much better, but he’s (and we) are not perfect yet. Now that things are settling a bit with our new business, I hope we will be able to do that.
I have thought about this a lot and realized that, in many ways, how we do anything is how we do everything…we often engage with our animals in the same way that we engage with the world. There is much to be learned in the process of negotiating a mutually loving and respectful relationship with our dogs that can benefit us throughout our lives.
For me, the most pivotal lesson learned from this experience has something to do with inhabiting a space – an energy – that is in some middle ground. It is between tyranny and indulgence; it is authority without abuse. It is a space that says we have to respect each other, to make a place for each of our needs and feelings, while at the same time, recognizing that we have differing roles in each other’s lives. When we do this so much more is possible in all of our relationships – with animals, with humans, with the world in general.
Thank you for ‘walking with us’ through this challenge.
We adopted a young dog through the locally popular Moosonee Puppy Rescue program. We love this program and all of the Moosonee dogs! But this little guy had a particularly rough start and had been previously adopted and returned. On adoption day, Hero was one of the few older puppies and the only dog that would run away and quiver in the corner. My husband and I, first-time dog owners, convinced ourselves that we could handle him. Our dog walker noticed Hero’s aggressive tendencies after we had had him for about 6 weeks. We also noticed that overall, Hero was scared, shy, and distrustful. He didn’t like to be touched with feet, he didn’t like to be cornered, and he didn’t much enjoy human interaction or petting. He never wagged his tail or panted. He liked to sit where he could see us and stare at us for hours, with big round eyes. Sometimes he would feel so scared and out of place that his legs were like cooked spaghetti noodles, and he would slide all over the floor.
We went to a 6-week puppy skills class where Hero easily learned to sit, lie down, etc. However, we noticed that his fear and aggression were worsening as he grew bigger, which prompted me to react (as I later learned from Boysie) in the worst possible way, which was to baby him and reinforce his scared and aggressive behaviour. In a very short time, even with all the love we gave him and the help of our first trainer, Hero got worse.
After talking to a lot of people in our neighbourhood, we decided to try Boysie. Hero stayed with Boysie for almost 4 weeks, and when we returned to pick him up, we knew within just a few moments that Hero had undergone a dramatic change. Hero was lying down on the floor with a look on his face that we now call his “blissed-out crazy happy look”. Picture a panting dog that looks so happy that he or she is smiling uncontrollably. That was Hero. Boysie’s training taught us that discipline is the key to having a visibly relaxed, comfortable, and happy dog. When you give love to a dog at the right moment, instead of all the time, it is a very powerful thing. Boysie spent hours making sure that we understood the method and teaching us about Hero’s issues and triggers. For example, we decided together that it would be best to eliminate balls and sticks from Hero’s life since he tended to become aggressive over such “high-value” items. Ultimately, Boysie made it possible for us to have the dog of our dreams when only a few months prior we had been of the mind that we loved Hero and that he was part of our family, but that we were going to have to learn to live with our extremely difficult dog. Today, Hero is the best thing that ever happened to us. This would not have been possible without Boysie.
What can I say? I had Ranger, a two year old bichon poo who was a handful and in my incredible wisdom (not) decided that getting another dog, Brier, a westie poo, would solve all my problems. Not one of my better decisions. Matters went from bad to worse over the course of the next year and a bit even though I did try and took lessons with both of them from different trainers. Of course, I love them both ferociously but it was becoming clear to me that for all the wonderful things they bring to my life, I was paying a very high stress cost. The training did not work and I started to loathe walking them and it got to the point where I could walk them separately (which I really did not have the time for) or try to walk them together and both options left me exhausted and frustrated. As Brier got older, matters got worse and the only time I was enjoying their company without being driven to distraction by their unruly behaviour (barking, chewing everything, jumping, and just general insanity) was when they were both sleeping late at night. I could no longer take them anywhere and even the leash free park was starting to become dangerous as Brier was aggressively going after any dog regardless of size. I was in a total quandary. Things could not continue as they were for the next ten or twelve years and I could not begin to imagine trying to find a home for one or both of them. I felt trapped. Out of nowhere, a friend recommended Boysie to me. I was incredibly skeptical. I poured through the web site and still had a healthy dose of cynicism about the whole deal. I decided to train Brier at Mellow Vibes simply because I felt I had run out of options. And what can I say? Now I am a believer. And so is everyone else who knew Brier and has met him since he has come home. As I type, Ranger is now being trained at Mellow Vibes. Brier is a different dog and I am a different dog owner and we have a new, different relationship. I am not talking about Brier now walking properly or sitting or lying down. I am talking about a complete revolution in how we are together. We will all need to work at keeping this relationship strong but Boysie and Paul have given Brier and me the tools we need and more importantly, the attitude we need, to keep things balanced and sane. Brier has only been home for a little over a week so it is all still pretty new and I am still a little shaky about some stuff but Boysie encourages phone calls and follow up. Not only do I have a large well spring of hope about our future together, I also feel I have a huge support system behind me. I am incredibly excited about our lives going forward and can’t wait until Ranger gets home, too.
I wrote about Brier, my two year old westie poo some weeks ago. When Brier came home, he was a different dog and has never looked back. About a month later, my four year old bichon poo Ranger finished his training with Boysie. Ranger has not been as easy as Brier in terms of accepting our new family and new family dynamics. Originally I thought that most of my problems came from Brier but that is because I did not understand my dogs or what they really needed. Boysie showed me the errors of my ways in a gentle, consistent, humorous manner. Although the training took place over a month ago, there is not a day goes by that I do not have Boysie on my mind. I constantly check myself to make sure I am following his training. ”Boysie would like that!”, I think or sometimes ”Boysie would not be happy” when I forget something basic. At the end of the day, all of my problems come from me. I set myself up. Boysie took my dogs, readjusted their thinking but far more importantly, re adjusted mine. Quite simply, it works. Last night, in circumstances outside of my control, my two dogs left the car without being told to do so and proceeded to make a run for the street. The driveway was full of people and my son dashed after them (he had more or less encouraged and engineered the escape in the first place). As you can imagine, now, all the people, the release after a long two hour drive and someone actually chasing them! The whole situation was heaven as far as they were concerned. I did not yell. I did not move. I forgot every single thing I had been taught except the main thing: I am the boss and this is not what I want or expect. Brier, I said loudly. He stopped in his tracks, I snapped my fingers and pointed to him and then the backyard. Ranger, I said and repeated the motion. Both dogs immediately went into our yard. I doubt they understood the ”point” gesture. I do believe they understood my tone and understood that they were breaking with routine and had better snap out of it. I also think they both clearly understood what I wanted from them and they complied with that against the excitement of the moment. Every single eye turned to me, eyebrows up, impressed. For a minute, dead silence. ”That training really worked!” some one in the crowd said. Yes, it did. Ranger has to be told on an almost constant basis that he is not regaining his leadership role. Some days I feel like he is never going to give up trying; however, those are the days where I have forgotten how many many miles we have traveled and how far we have come. I have not met a single person since his training who has not remarked on the change in him. He is calmer, quieter and more settled. I can’t end without saying that the behaviour that drove me to Boysie originally was the depressing thought of being hauled like a water-skier behind my two dogs on every walk for the next dozen years. Walking is a pleasure and I actually look forward to our walks. Lastly, the follow up support from Boysie has been simply outrageously amazing. I am impressed on all accounts. I simply could not have asked for a better experience or training for me and my dogs.
Our dog Wally is a Mini-Golden Doodle. My wife and I were so excited when we picked him up at eight weeks old, but were quickly dismayed when the first day we brought him home he growled at us for trying to take one of his toys away. That was the beginning of three extremely stressful months until we dropped Wally off at Mellow Vibes into the capable hands of Boysie’s son, Nathan.
To fully understand how desperate our situation with Wally was, a little background information is necessary. Following the first growling incident, we immediately brought in a trainer for help and were told that our new puppy had a big dominance and aggression issue. After three months of working with the same trainer and spending hundreds of pointless dollars, very little progress had been made. At almost five months old, Wally was growling at us several times a day. We couldn’t approach his food bowl while he was eating, take away one of his high value bones or toys, or remove anything out of his mouth that he picked up on the street without getting growled or nipped at. I’m a two hundred pound, six foot tall male and after being badly bitten several times by little Wally, I had become scared of our twenty pound puppy. We couldn’t physically handle him either. If we attempted to clean his paws after a rainy walk, he would chew on the towel. If we had to give him eye drops for an eye infection, he would try to bite us in the process. If we tried to get him off the couch or our bed, then we would have to do so with caution to avoid being snapped at. Wally wouldn’t walk either. He would just plant himself in front of our townhouse complex and the only way to get him to move was to bribe him with food or carry him. Otherwise he would just lie down in protest. And to top it all off, he was also peeing everywhere in our townhouse. As Boysie said when we took Wally to see him for a consultation, our dog was the king of our home.
We found out shortly after getting Wally that we were expecting a baby. We could not have a dog like this around our newborn. There was just no way. So Wally’s stay at Mellow Vibes was our last chance at keeping him as a part of our family. When we dropped him off, Boysie refused to take our money until after Nathan’s work with Wally was done and we were completely satisfied. Two weeks later we came to pick him up, and we could not believe the difference. Nathan had transformed our little terror into one of the sweetest, most loving and obedient dogs we’ve ever seen. We can take Wally out for walks, and actually enjoy ourselves. Wally stopped growling around his food bowl when we approached it. Wally drops anything from his mouth when we ask him to, including chicken bones! Wally follows basic commands like sit, lie down, come and stay. Wally does not jump on the couch or our bed anymore, and stays away from things we don’t want him to touch. Wally lets us clean his paws and he takes his medication without any trouble.
When we came to pick up Wally, Nathan and Boysie made sure that we were fully equipped with the knowledge necessary to keep Wally as perfect as we received him after his training. They patiently practiced all Wally’s new commands with us and made sure we didn’t leave until we were fully comfortable with all the steps. We were also assured that we could always go back to them with any questions or for any help we needed, free of charge.
To us, Nathan is nothing short of a miracle worker. Because of the impeccable job he did training Wally, what seemed like a thousand pounds of stress was removed from our shoulders in an instant. We can now keep our new puppy without any trepidation. It’s hard to describe the talent, dedication and passion that Nathan has for training dogs, but you can look to his work with Wally as a shining example. Nathan, we are forever grateful!
Amazing! Our dog, Gatsby was an unpredictable one and a half year old Australian Shepherd, Grey Hound, Collie mix who had aggression/anxiety issues. We had consulted with another trainer who took our money, but wouldn’t take the dog. We couldn’t wipe Gatsby’s paws and only a few family members were comfortable putting on his leash! After a serious incident where he bit our teenage daughter, we knew something had to be done or else we would have to surrender him. We heard about Mellow Vibes from another satisfied customer and truly thought they were our last chance. Daniel took on our challenging dog and worked wonders with him. He responded to our inquiries and kept Gatsby until he was confident that he had made a difference. When it was time to pick Gatsby up, Daniel took time with each family member to ensure we understood how to continue the training at home for which he had laid the groundwork. Gatsby is far more submissive and happy now, and our trepidations have been greatly alleviated. We continue to keep in touch with Daniel who welcomes hearing about our successes and advises when there are challenges. Most recently, the dog that didn’t even like having his paws touched had a bath at a dog “spa” without any incident! We cannot thank Daniel and his family enough. We highly recommend the services of Mellow Vibes.
Clancy was a golden rescue that had been unsuccessfully adopted twice. By the time I got her she was 17 months old and had been in 7 homes. She was a red head and Cesar Millan would have labelled her a “Red Zone”. She was highly excited, dominant and aggressive. She had been placed in another dog “boot camp” but it didn’t teach her how to live in an active downtown Toronto.
When I brought her to Daniel I was told I should call her “Miss Clancy” because she was clearly in charge and he was right!
In the hands of Daniel for three weeks I came back and watched a video with clips of Clancy interacting with other dogs…I was amazed! Then she was brought out for me and I saw in real life that she was a changed dog. Of course I needed to learn how to lead her and that is likely the hardest part.
Our walks, interaction with other dogs and companionship has reached a level I would not have thought possible. She has even learned how to play dead and if you knew her you would not believe that was possible.
Most important to me is that we haven’t dampened Clancy’s spirit through this process. She remains an active, high energy, happy girl who embraces life. We are so lucky to have found Daniel. Thank you Daniel!
Shortly after our baby was born we discovered that our 1 and a half year old schnoodle need to be properly trained. He would (among other things…) constantly pick up and run around the house with baby toys, bark at any noise he heard from outside the house, and show aggression towards other dogs and people while on a walk.
After some research we decided to meet with Boysie. We talked with him for about an hour and described all the problems we were having with our dog. We knew immediately after the meeting that Boysie was our man.
In three weeks Boysie and his son Paul transformed our dog into a little soldier. The constant barking has stopped, he listens when we call him, he no longer picks up anything off the floor, and he is now the perfect walking companion. People can come into our house and we are no longer worried about our dog jumping up to greet them.
Boysie not only spent 3 hours showing and explaining how we could maintain the good habits for our dog when we picked him up, but he also made himself available to talk over the phone for added support. That is great service! He enthusiastically wanted us to succeed!
I would recommend Boysie and his family to anyone looking for dog training. The experience we had with him exceeded our expectations.
After getting our 9-week-old puppy, Brady, everything went really well. Family and friends would compliment us on how well we’ve been training him ourselves; little did they know that once the treats have been put away, Brady actually runs the household. We decided it was time to enroll Brady in professional training one morning when he started humping my leg and refusing to walk. Since Brady is going to grow up to be 90 pounds or more, I was scared to imagine a 90 pound dog trying to hump my leg, and I was definitely not going to be strong enough to pull him along for walks when he’s fully grown, so I called many trainers that served the GTA including Boysie. All the trainers I spoke to sounded knowledgeable, but talk is cheap and the choice was still simple. No other trainers I spoke to, could SHOW us the kind of results they could achieve unlike Boysie did with his videos. Of course, like any neurotic parent, I became worried a few days after we placed Brady under Boysie’s care. I was afraid that my barely 4-month-old puppy would come back a “hardened criminal” because I sent him away for such a small offence (humping and pulling on his leash). To the contrary, when Brady came back, he was just as affectionate as before, but this time he isn’t as pushy. His new behaviour also made us realize how many other things we used to let him get away with just because he was a puppy! The constant mouthing that we thought was “normal” has now been redirected at the chew toys we give him. Most importantly, we no longer have to bribe him to listen to basic commands, such as “sit” and “down”. And instead of the behaviour ending with the swallowing of a treat, Brady would stay seated or laying down until we let him know it’s ok to move. Boysie showed us that a puppy is never too young to start training and there is no reason to expect less of him just because of his age. Most of all, Brady is still the same happy-go-lucky puppy we knew him to be, the training only calmed him down and he seems more content and less anxious. Now I tell everyone that stops us on the street to compliment how well-trained Brady is (and a lot of people do) that they should check out Boysie and Mellow Vibes Dog Training. I would highly recommend Boysie and his charming training techniques to anyone and I believe it is entirely worth it to start training as early as possible! Don’t hesitate to contact me if you are on the fence about enrolling your dog at Mellow Vibes, I would be happy to answer any referral questions!
Before bringing our puppy, Jax to Boysie’s he was disobedient, chewing everything in sight, and walking was a major challenge. When bringing in Jax for training, after seconds of being in Boysie’s care, we saw a definite improvement in Jax’s behaviour. There was no sniffing, no pulling on his leash, but rather a complete calmness that was not frequently seen at home. When picking up Jax after his three weeks of intensive training, he was a new dog. He was obedient, disciplined, and calm.Since bringing Jax home he has been a pleasure, obeying all commands taught to him at Boysie’s.Thanks to Boysie and his son Daniel for their training. It was worth every penny! Jax is a pleasure to walk, well behaved, and well socialized with other dogs and people. I would highly recommend Boysie’s services to any dog owner who is struggling with their dog. I do not know how he is able to train these dogs, but I am so thankful that he does. He truly is the dog whisperer!
We went to see Mellow Vibes after reaching our limit of patience with our 4 month old Boxer puppy. At the time, our puppy was a nightmare and we were desperate. We had tried puppy school and read the books but nothing was working.
We could not walk her on a leash without getting pulled down the street. We tried to be firm with her, but when she was frustrated she acted out barked at us. This quickly escalated into what looked like a full on attack and our clothes would have holes in them.
When we met Boysie, we loved his no nonsense style. We dropped off our dog and after 3.5 weeks of training with Boysie and his sons, Daniel & Nathan, we picked up a completely different dog. She was polite, calm, and happy! Boysie spent hours teaching us how to interact with her and made sure that before we left we understood how to use his methods. We took our homework seriously and when we had a concern, we called Boysie and his sons, who always spoke to us and gave us great advice.
We now have a wonderful dog that we couldn’t imagine living without. I would recommend Mellow Vibes to anyone who is having difficulty with their dog – you will NOT regret it! You and your dog will be so much happier.
After having Boysie work with Viking my dominant 10 yr old Miniature Pinscher he very quickly taught me that you truly can teach an old dog new tricks. Being 10 years old and set in his ways I really didn’t see much hope in reforming Viking, but after a 20 min visit with Boysie he already had the dog sitting and paying attention! In just three weeks, Boysie was able to correct issues that I had been fighting for the past 8 years! Before going to see Boysie ,Viking would bark at the door or window, steal, wasn’t very friendly with people and would pee inside to mark his territory not to mention that he couldn’t stand to see another dog or any other animal for that matter which made going for walks more of a chore than an enjoyable stroll in the park. Boysie worked with us as well as the dog, teaching us how to be the pack leaders and how to have viking recognize and fall into his place in our pack. The changes in the dog are night and day! No more stealing, the barking is non-existent, he loves to spend time in his kennel (something totally new to him) and meeting people with dogs during our walks is a joy. It is a great feeling over hearing people comment how obedient and quiet Viking is when we’re out and about or sitting outside a coffee shop. I highly recommend Boysie to anyone considering having their dog trained, all I can say is if they could reform Viking I’m sure he could reform any dog.
We got our dog, Wallace, as a companion for our dad, who was in remission from brain cancer and needed company during the day. Right from the start, he was raised in a pretty anxious family, and this rubbed off on him. Furthermore, we were all guilty of babying him, letting him call the shots – none of us could stand to discipline him. Wallace had never walked well on a leash, but he had been socialized and generally wasn’t too bad. However, over the span of a year, and particularly after our dad passed away, his behaviour escalated and Wallace was a bonafide Scottish TERROR. Wallace lunged and barked at anything and anyone, and his aggression had the whole family worried that he was going to be a liability. Walks were now nightmares that we never looked forward to or enjoyed. We took Wallace to a behaviourist to little effect, and we couldn’t understand the discord between the aggressive dog outside and the affectionate little guy we knew at home. With all of us at our wits’ end, we found Boysie, and after watching his training videos, knew that if one person could save Wallace, it would be him. We were right.
After a few weeks of training and rehabilitation with Boysie and his family, Wallace came home with a changed dog. We can now pass dogs, skateboarders, and other distractors on the street without so much as a sideways glance. More importantly though, Wallace came home to changed owners. What Boysie does with dogs is remarkable, but even more remarkable is his ability to work with the owners one-on-one, teaching them the skills to become effective leaders. Boysie is incredibly patient and thorough, offering us continued support and assistance. Whenever we had a question or concern, Boysie addressed it immediately either over the phone or in person. At this point, he has probably spent more time training us than our dog! He cannot come more highly recommended, and we are indebted to him for giving us back a respectful, furry friend.
We brought our five month old Bernese mountain dog pup, Indy, to Boysie with a number of problems. It seems they stemmed from the fact that I, the “alpha male” of the family, was allowing Indy to show dominant behaviour over me, which trickled down to my wife and son. I am a bit of a sucker for puppies and I would get on the floor and allow her to jump all over me, culminating in her developing an uncontrollable habit of nipping and general dominant behaviour.
While she did, more or less, obey me, her behaviour with my wife (Samantha) and son (Patrick) was abysmal. The nipping was so bad that it was 90% of our interaction with her – either being mouthed, trying to avoid being mouthed or disciplining her for nipping. The only time we could pet her without being nipped was when she was sleeping! Eventually it escalated to the point where, in states of excitement, she would jump up on Samantha and Patrick. Now is when I must tell you that Samantha is six months pregnant, so that was very worrisome. She would also jump up on our large sliding glass patio door when we had her outside and she wanted to come in – a potentially very dangerous habit to form when Indy is destined to grow to over 100lbs.
While we did socialize Indy with a number of dogs from an early age, she was also not playing as a healthy pup should. She would cower most times when a dog ran towards her and only after 5-10mins of playing with a dog would she let down her guard and play happily. Otherwise she would hide behind us or under a picnic table. On two occasions, she was attacked by dogs that sensed her shyness/fear and jumped her. While I can blame the owners of those dogs somewhat, we were also to blame.
Since the majority of her time was spent at home somewhat “dominating” us, she had a hard time figuring out her place in our household and with other dogs, making her somewhat uncomfortable in her own skin.
Boisie’s son Daniel trained Indy and I believe it is only his second dog. The results were truly miraculous. She boarded with them for two weeks and came back much happier and more respectful of her place in this world. I realize now that it was a mistake to allow her to show this dominant behaviour over me, which led to a chain of events leading us to require significant training. She is now very self-assured but still respectful with other dogs and plays happily without a care in the world.
She now walks like a charm right abreast of us, ignoring squirrels, cats, dogs and people (unless we introduce her to them). She doesn’t eat garbage on the streets (cigarette butts were her favourite, causing diahrrea on a number of occasions). Her habit of nipping has ceased. The basic commands of sit, down, come, stay, drop it etc don’t fall on deaf ears anymore. She no longer jumps up on us or on the glass patio door. And best of all, she is very content and self-assured… as are we! Samantha observed with joy when we picked her up that she was finally able to pat her without being nipped. It was sad being without her for the two weeks she was gone but it was well worth it.
Now it is truly upto us to pick up the baton and keep up with what she learned. Just like raising a child, the work never ceases. Without their help, I don’t know how we would have done it. It was not only money well spent but also a pleasant learning experience for our family.
Daniel is quite the young jedi of dog training, and with Boysie as his instructor, you can see how he got there.
We loved our new family pet Charlie – a brittany spaniel – but we clearly weren’t being the best ‘parents’ we could be and Charlie’s behaviour was terrible. What had started out as a cute cuddly puppy had turned into a whining, food crazy, not listening problem. We seemed to say ‘come’ and he’d run in the other direction. We clearly had no control over our dog and it showed. Daniel and Boysie were simply awesome. We left for a holiday to alifornia for a few weeks and left Charlie as a very disobedient teenager. We came back to a dog that understood exactly what his place was and listened, and was a joy to be around. Daniel showed us that body language, tone of voice and creating a home where we were the bosses in a calm way was exactly what Charlie needed. Our lack of control had our poor puppy totally confused. So yes – Charlie came back a completely changed dog, but it was and is the continuous support we receive on how to be better dog owners that really makes the difference. It’s true that there are rarely bad dogs but often confused and frustrated owners. We are thrilled with the changes in Charlie and us. I also think it’s wesome that the entire Boysie ‘clan’ gets involved including Sarah (age 9) because with two kids at home it was important to me that the dog interact not just with adults but kids alike.
Thanks again – for everything!
In November 2008, we adopted a Jack Russell terrier. Monty was described on the Petfinders web site as a very affectionate dog, not as high strung as most of the breed. The animal had never spent any time indoors, was rescued from Ohio where an elderly man kept him tied up in his yard. His foster caregiver was very impressed with his ability to be house trained almost instantly, and his gentle disposition.
Monty was affectionate and reasonably well behaved in our apartment, but showed signs of leash aggression almost from day one towards certain people and most other dogs.
We enlisted the help of a local trainer who helped with certain commands, and getting him to heel, but could not curb his leash aggression. We tried boarding him in day care, but none would accept him because of his attitude with the other animals in his care. One even suggested medication!
We found Boysie and his Mellow Vibes dog training business on the web, and called him. After explaining our problems and frustrations, Boysie suggested leaving Monty in his care for two weeks.
Skeptical , but hopeful, we agreed and brought Monty to his home. Boysie is not your typical dog trainer. Originally from St Vincent , his ability to command respect from animals is almost genetic. He explained that his whole life is his family and his love of dogs. His children have inherited these wonderful traits. We kept in touch regularly, by phone and were given updates on his progress.
After two weeks, we came to pick up Monty. He was a different animal. It was like an exorcism! Using a simple aid (a tambourine) and a chain collar to correct, and help him focus, this gentle man transformed our dog into an obedient pet who walks “like a soldier” right by other animals, sits and waits when we stop, and is quite happy to let us be his pack leaders.
I highly recommend Boysie. His patience extends beyond training dogs. He will patiently work with you so that you can keep your dog well balanced and happy. When you hire him you have him for the life of your animal, and can call him for advice, board your dog overnight, or for day care, and know that he is in the best possible hands.
We brought our dog (a 3 yr old Cockapoo) to Boysie for training – as we were referred to him for dog training. Prior to taking our dog to Boysie, we had checked out his website & videos, and read all the testimonials. We then met Boysie on a consultation appointment and right away we truly felt very comfortable having Boysie train our dog. Our dog would always jump at people to greet them, always seemed hyper and too excited about anything. He was not a calm dog.
Bringing him to Boysie for training was like magic. What a huge difference after two weeks of training with Boysie. He now walks right abreast of us, ignoring dogs, people, flying objects. He doesn’t eat cigarette butts on the way. The basic commands of sit, down, come, stay, drop it, etc. is being followed/obeyed. He does not just grab treats or food until he hears a command. True manners!!! He is a totally changed dog and now has manners. We are extremely happy with how Boysie has changed our dog. When we went to pick up our dog after training, Boysie spent a few hours training us to be a leader and how to get our dog’s respect.
Boysie is a very calm and patient gentleman, an awesome trainer who really cares about what he does and he has a very special way of communicating with dogs. Anytime we have questions, we can call on Boysie.
Boysie you are the best and I would highly recommend you. Thank you very much and we are so very grateful. When we go away on vacation we are bringing our dog to Boysie for boarding.
Thank you Boysie!
We brought our two dogs to Boysie after we witnessed the amazing work he did with Holden, our friends’ Christina and Pat’s rescue dog. Charlie and Spud both came from a wonderful rescue in Buffalo called Bid Dogs Big Hearts. Spud came in from a shelter where he was going to be put down, while Charlie was found with acid burns on her face, chest and head and numerous scars everywhere. The rescue had done a wonderful job rescuing them and bringing them back to health and it was up to us to continue with good training. For months, we struggled with Charlie’s stubbornness and Spud’s aggressive nature. The walks had become unmanageable – Charlie getting excited at every dog we encountered followed by Spud growling at them. At home the two sometimes played aggressively and Spud started growling at dogs that were coming into or house. We knew we needed a lot of help and we received it from Boysie. Two weeks after dropping our dogs at Boysie we witnessed a miracle. Boysie taught us how to be leaders and taught them how to follow the leader. It has changed our lives The stress is gone and our dogs are so much happier. We learned that we need to follow through every day and that our dogs look to us for leadership and guidance. Boysie has changed our lives and our dogs’ lives. Thank you Boysie.
I cannot thank Boysie enough for how he has changed our life with our dog! We loved our dog but she would nip/bite, pull on the leash, jump on people and chew everything in our house. Basically, her excitement was over and uncontrollable. She could not go anywhere near our cat because she was too crazy and would try and chance the cat. We had to have the cat and the dog living 2 different lives in our house and it was unhealthy for everyone. We knew we had to do something and when we met Boysie we were amazed at how he handled dogs. We had tried the pet store training and they would go over how to sit, stay, etc but our dog knew all her basic commands what we needed was obedience. We needed her to listen all the time not just when she felt like it. We sent our 7 month old Chocolate Lab to him for 3 weeks and she can back a completely changed dog. Our dog is so structured, respectful and happy. She has let go of the frantic excitement and would not even think about jumping up, pulling or biting. The cat feels so comfortable in our house now and walks up to the dog and the dog does not move an inch – truly amazing transformation. I explain it to other people like this – I probably wouldn’t believe or think it’s possible until I saw it with my own eyes! We have heard of people that get on waiting lists to adopt dogs that have been trained to be seeing eye dogs but didn’t make it so that they can have well trained dogs but you don’t need to do that, you just need Boysie! Our dog is now trained to heal, to listen, to obey – it’s unbelievable. The best part is that Boysie will work with you and the dog as you both get adjusted. We felt so reassured when we called him, he is happy to discuss anytime and for us to come over and practice until she is perfect for me too. Our dog is a walking advertisement and it am still amazed!
Boysie had trained our dog Finny about 2 years ago. He a a beautiful Goldendoodle. He is still an amazing loving dog! We thank Boysie everyday for that. Now we have a new puppy Scarlet. Guess where she is going soon!
Boysie is a very special person. He uses his gentle voice, no yelling or screaming. He really cares about the dogs. He is so patient with them and also the owner as well. He taught each of our family members how to be consistent with our dog.
Please do not think that your dog is not a monster, so they don’t need the training. All dogs and owners need training. It’s going to stay with them for life. Wherever Finny goes people always praise how well behaved he is. I am very proud of him.
Thanks Boysie, we will be coming again with our new puppy soon!
Love,
People were fooled when I took my Portuguese Water Dog to the park because Maya was great at retrieving balls. “How well trained,” they’d say. However, when I put the ball away, she’d jump and bark as if demanding, “Give it back.”
Her wish to rule extended beyond balls. Walking Maya became a daily trial. She’d pull on her leash and would stop to pee on every lawn we passed. In our suburban area of Toronto, rabbits enticed her to dash across the street with her leash trailing behind. I was afraid she’d be hit by a car.
Ten days of intensive training with Boysie changed all that. He didn’t just give me back a well-trained dog, he trained me as well – a much harder task. This soft-spoken man taught me to command respect from my dog, not by talking louder or getting angry, but by becoming more observant and consistent with my actions. He taught me to demand 100% compliance from her. “You’re the boss!”, he affirmed.
When I questioned whether such obedience would douse her spirit, Boysie reassured me that she’d be calm in the house and playful in the park. Boysie was right! Maya now walks by my side attentive to my pace and she even passed the “rabbit test”, maintaining a stay instead of giving chase.
Now when people say I have a well-trained dog, I say you can too, if you go to Boysie.
Our crazy dog Sasha had a lot going for her but she required direction… or her owners did for that matter. We tried a few dog trainers but none of them helped us with her ‘out going’ personality, until we met Boysie.
Sasha, went from a dog that nipped, barked at everything and was on edge to a calm, cool collective ‘soldier’. No words can describe the effectiveness of Boysie’s training. However, watch Boysie’s videos with his dog ‘country boy’. Now I realize there is only one country boy, but my husband and I now have a ‘country girl’.
Not only is Boysie effective but he is always available with support and positive affective feedback! He is a wonderful teacher, coach and friend. Boysie’s boarding service is exceptional as well! Leaving Sasha at Boysie’s keeps our mind at ease. We know she is well taken care of. When we pick her up she is mentally and physically tired.
Thank you so much Boysie!!!
By far the most valuable lesson I learned from Boysie is about respect. Everything he has taught me stems from respect. I have also learned that my own expectations are what determines the boundaries and potential for our success. Dogs innately read human energy and we need to be mindful of this and learn to read their energy as well. I can now look at my dog’s ears and read his energy… I now know trouble before it happens and can take proactive action to correct problems before they occur. When I first left Wilson with Boysie I did not know what to expect, I had high hopes that I had found the Dog Whisperer of Toronto, indeed I had!! In just 10 days he rehabilitated Wilson to be the dog I never imagined he could be and then the real work began, training me! It was very humbling to realize that I was the source of all of the problems we had, but the gift in that was that I could change my ways and not have to live in fear anymore that something bad may happen. Boysie is a very gifted Dog Whisperer, it is hard to adequately describe how good he is at what he does. I have applied what I have learned from Boysie in all aspects of life, all principles I believed in before meeting Boysie, but he provided me with the guidance and tools to instill these principles in my actions. Please do not hesitate to contact me for any referral questions.
Thank you!
I brought my one year old boxer to Boysie when my pup started acting aggressive towards other dogs. I didn’t know what to do, as he had been socialized with all kinds of dogs, and had always been playful and relaxed. But after being attacked in the fall by a couple dogs, he was anxious, unsettled, and nervous around other dogs. His hackles would go up, and he would inevitably end up in terrible dog fights. I had to stop taking him to parks, and was nervous even taking him for walks.
I started looking around for a professional dog trainer. Most offered a couple hours of intervention with my dog – some offered help over the phone! I couldn’t understand how my dog’s issues could be resolved over the phone. Then I found Boysie online.
When I first met with Boysie, he spent almost 2 hours with me and my dog, walking through the neighborhood, observing how we interacted with each other, and how my dog reacted to the world around him. This was just the consult! He identified the problem right away: my dog was on high alert, very stressed, and on edge. In other words, I wasn’t being a true leader to him. He was afraid of everything, and so would react by getting them first.
Boysie explained that I would need to leave him for a few weeks for “intervention” training. Not a few hours, a few weeks! I was hesitant at first to leave him for so long, but nothing else had worked. When I dropped my dog off with Boysie the following week, he spent an hour showing me his techniques. Within that first hour, he had my dog lying calm on the floor while his own dog, Star, climbed all over him, licking his face, without a reaction. I was stunned.
When I got my dog back a few weeks later, I couldn’t believe the change. He played with other dogs, of all sizes, shapes and colors – even puppies!- without incident. I can command him to go “out” and he stops whatever he is doing to come sit next to me. He will drop his toys, even with other dogs around. And most importantly, he is relaxed, calm, and happy-go-lucky. His hackles don’t go up, and he is back to being the playful puppy I always knew him to be.
Now, Boysie’s house is my dog’s second home. I travel a lot for work, and the only person I trust to take care of my dog is Boysie. My dog is thrilled whenever we pull up at his house. Boysie has not only rehabilitated my dog, but has become an invaluable support for me: always available to answer questions, or provide care. One of the things I appreciate the most is that Boysie never saw my dog’s fighting as my problem to deal with – but as behaviour that we could help my dog resolve together. Boysie is always in control of the dogs at his house. They respect him and trust him – so I do too! Boysie’s family – his wife, children, and of course Country Boy and Star, have changed my dog and become a second family to him – I truly couldn’t recommend anyone more highly.
I had been to a reputable dog trainer and trained two German Shepherds. Both dogs were 100% completely trained in advanced obedience in about a year (off leash as well) and caused me no grief whatsoever. Well both guys had passed on and I decided to get an Olde English Bulldogge. I have been training him myself for about 10 months and was getting nowhere. On leash he was terrible and off leash he was worse.
I was desperate to have him trained in a short period of time and did extensive research looking for a trainer in the GTA.
I came across Boysie’s website and was just amazed at what he promised to do in about a week. I set up an appointment with Boysie and after watching him with his pack of dogs decided to leave Leo the Bulldogge with him.
When I picked up Leo a week later he was the dog my shepherds were. Boysie did in 1 week what took me a year with my shepherds. Just amazing !!!
A year later Leo was not responding 100% (my fault). I called Boysie back and asked for a tune up with Leo. Boysie spent a couple hours with me and Leo and left me with some great tips. Leo is doing great. BOYSIE DID IT AGAIN.
We used to tell people that if our dog was human she would have tatoos and carry a gun. Shortly after we adopted her we realized that something was wrong. Her anxiety began to turn to aggression around other dogs and people. The veterinarians recommended putting her on medication. other dog owners and trainers also suggested different kinds of leashes and collars. We tried them all.
It was only on moving to our new neighborhood that we encountered Boysie – the soft-spoken man from the Caribbean, known as the dog whisperer of High Park. Little did we know that this unsuspecting character would change our lives with Sparkle. Seeing him walking dogs around the neighborhood convinced us he had a gift with dogs and so we brought Sparkle to him.
Boysie did an intensive 7 day training program with her and convinced us to take her off the medication and the spray collar. We were stunned by the results. When she returned she was well trained in the house , in the backyard and on the street. But the next difficult task was training us. He worked tirelessly with her and with us . Always available for advice and support, and to walk one-on-one to give pointers about how to spot problems before they arise, and how to solve them if they do.
Through these ongoing efforts, Sparkle has become a different dog. She is now so well behaved that our friends, family, and even our veterinarian are amazed. She no longer needs medication or a shock collar. Sparkle is now much happier, and so are we.
“A Toronto dog trainer known as Boise, with a growing reputation as a dog whisperer…”
Jasper (the black dog in the basic training video) pulled on the leash, growled at every dog he encountered, bit Country Boy on the nose when he first met him, there was no question who to turn to. In 12 short days my dog was beautifully trained. Boysie could take him anywhere on leash or off. I have referred several friends who have dogs to Boysie. Dogs with or without problems benefit from spending time with him. One of the biggest advantages is that Boysie invests a lot of time talking to the owners and helping them with the training once the dogs return home. When he takes on a dog he is committed to them and their owner for as long as it takes. My dog is extremely well trained and Boysie has gone way out of his way to help me maintain control of him.
To Boysie and his son, and anyone who would like to have a better life with their dog!!!
I want to extend my thanks to Boysie and his son. I have a two and a half year old Beagle Pug cross, who is and always has been biggest lover of a dog for her whole like. She has made my life so much better and loving and wonderful, she is the little love of my life!!!
She is such a lover, so much so that she would attack anyone coming though the door, jump on them and kiss them all over… even if the didn’t want it. I could not bring any bags in with me if I had her with me, as she would jump up on people in the elevator, and I needed both hands to try and control her.
Whenever I am home alone she feels very protective. Previously she would bark at every little noise in my building. When people walked by my apartment, or kids laughing outside, or someone above my apartment dropped something, she would go nuts trying to let me know someone was there or something was happening, by growling or barking and this would carry on for sometimes a half an hour.
My little love is a small looking dog, but has incredible strength. Even men playing with her are surprised how strong she is. Absolutely the worst thing got me was walking her. She would pull and pull and pull. I had to wrap the leash 3 or 4 times around my wrist and hand. She just wanted to smell and snoop around everywhere, everything and everyone (once again, some people don’t like that…). It was so embarrassing having her pull me around anywhere she wanted.
While walking her or just at home, I was always constantly having to watch where her nose was extremely carefully. She was a vacuum. She would eat everything and anything. On the ground if it fell to the floor, or even steal dinner off the table. I was always worried about her getting sick from eating something I missed, or mad at her for ruining my dinner.
I had a little to no control over my little love. My life was revolving around her.
Boysie and his son saved my sanity. I sat down with him, and he explained how he trains dogs, and all about his extensive background and life with dogs. I was worried with the kind of attitude change my dog needed that the trainer would have to get physical to gain control and respect from her, and I did not want this. I was looking for a humane, loving way to somehow adjust her attitude. Boysie explained and showed me right on the spot how he would gain her respect. He does not punish. Instead, he corrects bad behavior. He is very friendly and down to earth, firm and yet very kind and gentle.
I left my little love with Boysie for a week and went on vacation. I was hoping for a significant change, but knew how stubborn my dog was, and so thought that I would believe it when I saw it. Wow was I ever impressed!!! When I returned, Boysie had me watch the video they had taken of her training while I was away. I couldn’t believe it!!!! He then spent the proper time teaching me how to maintain the control, and continue to have her respect forever. I was amazed with her, and continue to have a much easier going life with her. She no longer pulls when I walk her, she doesn’t annoy me with barking anymore, and she sits in the elevator like a little princess without bugging anyone. best of all she ignores stuff on the streets, won’t touch something if I drop it, and can even drop anything (even a treat I give her) instantly from her mouth!!! It is so fantastic!!!!
Boysie and his son provided her the foundation in training that was needed for her to be able to learn and me with the knowledge and ability to be the one in control, with her respect and everlasting love. They truly know the recipe for success in training dogs. Both me and my little love are so much happier together and enjoying our time together much more so than ever before!!!
If you have ever thought about getting better training for your dog, trust me, you have definitely found the right father and son team to make a great change in your life!!!
Thank you again so much to Boysie and his son. I truly can’t thank you enough!!!
My name is Zak Longo, I am an actor/filmmaker based out of Toronto and New York City. About 7 months ago I purchased my first Great Dane puppy named Bowzer. At 10 months old Bowzer is 6 ft 2 standing on his back legs. This isn’t your average puppy trust me! Somtimes I come home from work to find my fridge and cabinets empty, and my bed sheets ripped up. I didn’t realize how much work it would be to train such a giant puppy. I was on the verge of finding him a new home. Finally after going through enough bed sheets, I decided it was time to call in a professional. I worked with trainers in New York City, and it didn’t seem to help much. So I came back to Toronto for work this summer, and a friend of mine highly recommend this cool Carribean man. After meeting Boysie, I knew it was the best decision I had made since purchasing my pup. I left Bowzer with Boysie for just over a week. When I returned to pick up my puppy, I was shocked. I thought this can’t be my dog. Not only was Bowzer not tackling me in the doorway, he was more calm and relax then I have ever seen.
Boysie explained how I was handling sitatuions wrong with my training. He started fresh with Bowzer and taught me all the commands and proper corrections. People can not believe the difference when I bring my dog around. If it wasn’t for Boysie, I don’t know if I would have been able to keep my dog. Mellow Vibes Dog Training saved my life.
My young Chesapeake Bay Retriever named “Charlie” became so aggressive and territorial that I could no longer manage him. I was at a point where I had only 2 options left for “Charlie”. I had to either find a very experienced dog trainer or send him to a rescue. That is when my dog walker strongly suggested Boysie. She told me that if he could not train my dog, no one could. I reviewed Boysie’s website carefully and I was immediately impressed at the kind but firm tone he used with his dogs in his videos. He never once yelled at them, and ALL of the dogs respected, obeyed and were happy with him. This is exactly what I wanted from “Charlie”: respect, compliance and happiness. However, I was at a loss at how to achieve it. That is when I knew that I had found the right trainer for “Charlie” and I. After an initial consultation and 3 weeks of “boot camp” with Boysie and his family, “Charlie” was a new dog. Not only did Boysie re-train “Charlie”, but he also educated and trained me as well. Since the “boot camp”, Boysie has always made time to talk on the phone and offer suggestions. He has also always made room in his home to board “Charlie”. Thanks to Boysie, I am now a confident dog owner who has a calm and happy dog who I understand and who understands me. With Boysie’s genuine interest in the continued well-being for the dogs and owners he trains, “Charlie” and I can look forward to a stress-free and enjoyable life together.
Our puppy Chloe had some serious behavioural problems and she was creating a big strain on our household. It was to the point where we were about to give up hope. Fortunately for us we found Boysie. Chloe’s transformation in one week was just phenomenal!
We put Chloe through Boysie’s Basic Obedience training and all of Chloe’s problems such as biting, jumping, and dominant attitude were resolved.
Not only is Boysie a true pro, but also he’s completely passionate about dogs and their development. He took the time to explain how we can reinforce the training and establish a better relationship with Chloe. We are so happy with the training that we continue to entrust Boysie for dog boarding on a regular basis.
We would highly recommend Boysie to anyone and strongly feel he will strengthen your relationship with your dog.
Petrified, terrified, depressed and at our wits end just about describes how we felt when we googled ‘dog whisperer High Park’ looking for some help for our super aggressive but also incredibly loving 2 1/2 year old Shih Tzu. MC had turned his daily walks into the walk of terror as he flew at every dog, mostly those triple his size for what seemed no apparent reason. Either he was going to get hurt or we were and yet at home he was cuddly and affectionate. After answering a few simple questions, Boysie seemed to have a good idea of what he was dealing with but first wanted to visit MC at our home and he did so bringing another little dog to see what MC’s reaction would be. True to form MC was very anti-social, did not listen to a word we said, cocked his leg at every occasion during a short walk we took with Boysie and he informed us that the solution was for him to take Mc for a couple of weeks to train him some basic respect for other dogs and how to be submissive towards us. It was clear that we had let him rule the roost and outside of the house, he was a law unto himself. After 2 1/2 weeks the whole family (mum, dad and two kids) visited
Boysie at his home and watched in amazement a video of MC walking to heel, sitting when Boysie stopped, dropping chicken bones on request and lying like a baby without growling in his son’s arms. We could hardly ontain ourselves when MC was finally reintroduced to our family. Boysie patiently took each one of us in turn and taught us how manage him on the leash and has even been on hand to take walks with us and MC. The outcome is nothing short of a miracle. We now realize the disservice that we as a family have done to our little dog by letting him away with murder and treating him like a baby. And the crazy thing is not only can we now look forward to walking him and being around other dogs without fear of a fight, but we can see that MC is much happier too. He loves the praise he gets for his good behaviour and seems to even love us more than before.
We are so grateful to have met Boysie and have him share his skill with training dogs with us. We have our little dog back….on OUR terms.
Boysie is a man with a thorough understanding of canine mentality and has an incredible gift to communicate with dogs while establishing a rank structure that benefits the dog in his/her relationship with the new family. His subtle yet extremely effective wizardry with dogs has helped build a strong and healthy bond between my mini schnauzer(Stryker) and I. In just a mere 8 days of immersion training, Boysie transformed my hyperactive disobedient puppy into a calm, confident, attentive and friendly member of the family. Furthermore, his ongoing support is extremely appreciated in the continued education process of my dog and I. Thanks Boysie.
Riley’s behaviour was growing increasingly worse until we took her to Boysie for the 7-day training program.She is now more calm and obedient.Boysie has a magical way with dogs and is always available for advice.A happy dog is a happy home…
The first time I saw Layla was on Facebook. A friend working in Palestine had rescued a little street puppy and was Facebooking friends to find a home for her. I was at once taken with the picture of this alert and very cute black and tan puppy. She was rescued while being thrown into the trunk of a car to be dropped off out of town where she would have had to fend for herself. She was three months old. My friends fell in love with her and decided to find her a good home.
Layla was flown to Toronto during a cold snap in February when she was six months old. A rude awakening for a little Palestinian street dog, but she adjusted. Layla turned out to be an intelligent, charming and loveable dog. She was interested in everything and adjusted quickly to Canadian living. She was socialized with our cats and other dogs right away. She walked nicely on the leash, lay at my feet when we stopped, and was deferential to cats and other dogs, at first.
When she was about eight months old she challenged one of the cats viciously over a scrap of food on the floor. Another time she attacked the same cat when the cat went near her bowl of food, and had her by the throat before being pulled off. The same behaviour took hold when visiting dogs went near her feeding area, bowl or no bowl. She would attack with frightening ferocity. At the dog park she played well with other dogs unless a dog was aggressive with her. Layla would not back down from a fight, no matter how big the other dog was. I had never seen a dog fight with this kind of intensity and invariably the other dog would leave the altercation the worse off.
I tried to teach Layla to stay out of the kitchen but to no avail. She jumped up on counters and the dining room table, furniture and beds. She jumped on people when they visited and displayed other very dominant behaviours. In the park when I called her she would look at me and run the other way, challenging me to catch her.
Layla began to pull on the leash when walking and started snarling and lunging at other dogs. The last straw came when she attacked a little Pug without any provocation. My sweet little puppy had become vicious with other dogs. I called Boysie who agreed to take her on. She stayed with Boysie for two weeks and returned to us a changed dog. Boysie spent time with me and Layla after her stay and taught me how handle her and reinforce the training.
The cats are now able to eat out of her bowl without being attacked. She walks beside me on a loose leash adjusting her speed to my pace and sitting when I stop. She comes when called in the park and is focused on me, paying attention to where I am and checking in with me on her own. People now praise my well trained dog. I was even stopped by a dog trainer on the street who complimented me on my “dog handing”.
Layla respects her new boundaries and no longer jumps on furniture and stays out of the kitchen. She takes food only when given permission and drops anything in her mouth on command. Last night Layla was running full tilt in the park with two of her favourite dog friends. When I called her she came right to me. That says it all.
I am so grateful for Boysie!! He is an awsome trainer who really cares about what he does and he has a very special way of communicating with dogs. Our golden retriever who we adore, was very naughty: he chewed up so many things at our place, shoes, baby toys, gloves, books, carpets, garbage. He ate socks, washcloths, jumped up on people, grabbed mittens and sleeves from children and adults, pulled on my pant legs, pulled on the leash, chewed on the leash, chewed anything in sight! I was feeling more and more frustrated.
I have two small children, the youngest of whom is a baby and I was concerned and became desperate. I did not want to have to find another home for our dog, yet I knew things could not continue as they were! We love out dog, but I think we were loving him too much and letting him have his way.
After coming home from a ten day training intensive with Boysie, our dog has really mellowed out. He is like a dream walking on the leash, no longer destructive around our home, he shows respect and seems to know his place. He still gets lots of love, but he gets it at the right time. Also, he seems so much more relaxed! All this is thanks to Boysie.
Boysie is a very patient and gifted trainer. He also has been very patient with me, teaching me about how to be a leader and get our dog’s respect, how to keep up the training. He has given me all kinds of tips even after bringing our dog home. I am extremely pleased and highly recommend Boysie.
Two poodles, too many. After countless hours of training and pleading with our dogs to obey, we still had a problem, our dogs didn’t see us as their masters.
I started to question whether I could continue to manage both puppies. We found Boysi online and decided to check him out.
Our first impression of Boysi was that he was in control and understood dogs at a level that surpassed others. Our second impression was that he was willing to share his knowledge and skills with us. This really wasn’t about our dogs, it was about our lack of discipline and insight into what these dogs really needed.
We sent the dogs separately for training and were amazed at how well adjusted they were when they came home. Boysi also spent the time to teach us how to keep them this way.
Our relationship with Boysi is on-going, he encourages us to call and follow-up to discuss how things are going and always has helpful advice. We also send our dogs to Boysi for Boarding and take comfort knowing that the dogs are surrounded by his loving family.
We highly recommend Boysi for any dog training you may require.
When our GSD was 5 month old she jumped on us, mouthed our hands, whined, tore things apart, pulled so hard that my wife refused to walk her during the day. Our hopes that one day all this change by itself disappeared as we saw it got worse and worse. Then, when we went on vacation we decided combine boarding and training, that’s when we found Boysie. When we came back from vacation we found completely different dog, she was well behaved and way more obedient. She learned to sit, down, heel, drop, stay, go to kennel and many other thing in just 10 days!!! We were really happy about the progress we saw in such a short term. Thanks again!
Dear Boysie; It is hard to believe that a 2/12 pound dog can terrorize your home but ours did. He was (note the past tense) very aggressive. He attacked all children and dogs, no matter the size. When my husband would try to hug or kiss me he would launch himself off the couch, out of my arms or off the floor and bite. Boysie spent 3 weeks with our dog. After training us, an important part of the process, we welcomed back a pleasant dog. He is not perfect but he has not been aggressive to any of our family members in 2 months. When ever I have a question Boysie takes my calls and explains what I need to do to properly correct our dog. He is always helpful, pleasant, very calm and wise. If you have a problem dog I know through personal experience that Boysie can help you.
I wanted to thank you for the work you did with Stella and us. Sending her to you as soon as we got her was such a smart decision. She is so much more disciplined and fun to be with. She does not chew things, listens to commands, is respectful and fun to be with, she is calm, and easy to walk with. She does not bite or bark either. There is no more stress. You have transitioned her into a well disciplined dog. She has positive energy all the time. You have also made us so much better owners in that we understand how to work with her and how to behave so that the mutual respect continues. We get so many compliments on how well she behaves especially for a 4 month old chocolate lab.I would definitely do this all over again with your coaching and training.Please do not hesitate in using me as a reference for any other dog owners.Peace and Love.
Kahlua has been home for a week now from Mellow Vibes training. Not a day has gone by that we are not grateful and impressed at the training he received from Paul. Needless to say, we must remain consistent and firm to support the incredible results. At 4 months, we can honestly say, he is far better behaved than most dogs we have met while out and about.
Kahlua is a calm, well disciplined puppy. The occasional reminder, by way of the tambourine, of his training works wonders. The most amazing element we were thrilled to see is that his puppy spirit and strong personality is still all there but now wrapped up in a pet we can take anywhere without worry and be very proud.
When I got Rosie at 11 weeks, she was a cute little furry ball, the size of a loaf of rye. Because of how small and cute she was I didn’t apply much discipline. I knew I would have to eventually since my previous dog was a Belgian malinois who would take over the household if rules weren’t clear and enforced. But this was my first puppy and I thought discipline could wait until she was a little older. That was a mistake. By the time she was 4 months old, she was not coming when called, disregarding my commands, barking at me, going after my 85year old dad, and starting to put her teeth on my skin.
The other problem is that she was too shy and skittish with other dogs. I thought she could become a fearful aggressor if I let it go too long. That’s when I read about Boysie. I brought Rosie over and we talked for a long time. It was clear that she was walking all over me. He was busy but he squeezed her into his schedule and took her for two weeks.
He gave me back a CALM, well-behaved, and extremely social dog. I haven’t had any problems since. She sits on the balcony of my apartment and never barks. She is gentle and affectionate with everyone. Her recall is really good. And the doggie daycare folks tell me she is the star of their “buddy” program.
I travel quite a bit and Rosie is so happy to board with Boysie and his family while I’m gone. It’s also a huge peace of mind for me to know that she is in someone’s home and getting the best care any dog could get – along with a light tune-up on the training and the discipline front. I really can’t recommend Boysie and his wonderful family enough.
I would be happy to talk with anyone who wants a personal recommendation.
